All Is Fair

After Cozette had walked through the doors at home she was eternally glad that Marty was still asleep on the couch. Her conversation with Liam had not only left her extremely on edge, but as he walked away she was scared someone had seen her talking to him. It was one thing that Joe had seen Liam talk to her once before, she could explain that to him. But if he confronted her again she wouldn’t be able to come up with a good enough lie to keep him away from Liam.

Unpacking the back into the fridge and the cabinets, she thought about maybe telling her boss about the troublemaking Liam. If she did, Liam would be eliminated. If she didn’t and they found out, both she and Liam would be eliminated. Although she didn’t understand why she even cared about his wellbeing. He was just there to annoy her. She placed the last carton of milk in the fridge and looked at the clock, noticing it was already seven at night. Sighing to herself, she decided to call her friend and then go to bed early.

----

“I need you to do something for me.” Cozette sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before looking up at her boss again.

“What is it this time?” She wasn’t quite able to keep the dryness of her tone away from her words and he sent her a scolding glare because of it. He didn’t say anything about it, just because she was kind of like a part of the family. After taking a calming breath he spoke again.

“Toni Paziali has gotten it into her mind that she’s going to investigate the murder.” Cozette drew in a sharp breath and felt a headache coming. This could never end well, fueling the thoughts of criminals always ended badly. “I know you’ve been talking to the Payne boy.” This time she gasped more noticeably and stared at her boss with big eyes.

“He’s the one who’s talking to me. Not the other way around.” He scoffed and Cozette recoiled a little.

“Frankly I don’t care.” His voice was sharp like razorblades and she only nodded as he continued. “I need you to lead him astray. It seems like he thinks you know something,” He gave her a condescending look. “And you will tell him what he wants to hear.” He waved her off and she merely stood, not walking away just yet.

“I’m not sure what he wants to hear.” Martin Senior looked up at Cozette with bored eyes. H rolled them to tell her he found her stupid, like always, and as he spoke he looked back down at his desk.

“You are going to tell him someone in the Paziali family is behind the murder.”

“I can’t do that. He won’t believe me.” Her voice was an octave higher and it made him look up at her. He stared at her face for a long time, as if he was searching for something, before he shook his head with a disappointed look.

“Then you have to get real cozy with the boy before you tell him, won’t you?” His tone told her that there was no room for argument. His sarcastic look also told her that he found this whole ordeal entertaining. Cozette merely nodded and walked away from his office. She never liked him and she never would. Just as she closed the door she could hear his faint laughter but she chose to ignore it. If it wasn’t for Liam her life would’ve so much better.

The big question was how she was going to get Liam interested in her. He already had a faint curiosity towards her, but only because he thought she knew something about the Paziali murder. And now her boss knew about that sudden interest, and he was going to used it to his own advantage. Just for a second Cozette let the small idea of telling Liam the truth course through her mind. If she did maybe he would help her get out. She wanted out so badly. But if it all backfired, both Liam and her boss would kill her. So I would be best to keep the truth to herself.

As she walked through the doors at home she was instantly met with a smirking Marty. He was lying on couch, sipping a beer and had just put the TV on mute. He waited until she had closed the door behind her.

“So you and Payne huh?” The words alone made her want to rip his throat out, his tone made her want to torture him first. His smirk never left his ugly face.

“First if all, no. Second of all, it is none of your business.” Cozette huffed and stormed into the kitchen, thinking maybe a beer would make her feel better. Much to her dismay he followed her.

“Actually since it is daddies business, it’s also mine.” He spoke to her like one speaks to a toddler and she got even more annoyed. “I also heard you had to get cozy with the guy.” He nodded his head in approval but she knew he was only mocking her. “You should bring him around someday. Meet the family so to speak.” He winked and turned around to walk away.

“My family is dead.” He turned around and looked at her with a large grin on his face.

“I know hun. It’s a figure of speech.” He shrugged and looked like he was enjoying taunting her far too much. “Besides, even though we don’t love you, we’re the closest thing you have to a family.” He turned around and she flipped him off. Even though he couldn’t see it, it made her happy nevertheless.

Without passing the living room where the annoying Marty was now watching TV once more, she practically ran up to her room. As soon as she closed the door she picked up her phone and dialed a number she hadn’t dialed in a long time. Listening to the tones go through without an answer was nerve racking for her. After about eight dial tones the person on the other end picked up.

“Hello?” Her voice was slightly out of breath and her tone signified that she didn’t know who the caller was. Cozette took a deep breath before answering the girl on the other end.

“Hi Lacey. It’s Cozette.” She heard the girl take a deep breath before she spoke into Cozette’s ear again.

“Well, it wasn’t yesterday Cozette.” Cozette sighed but smiled a little. Lacey didn’t seem mad at her so that was always a good sign. “What’s the reason this time?”

“It’s that damn Paziali murder. It has gotten me into some… Rather difficult situations.” Cozette’s tone was hesitant, but she knew she wanted to confide in her old lover and friend.

“It wasn’t you, was it?” Her tone suggested that Lacey was worried and scared for Cozette, which made her smile. She loved the fact that even though their split had been rather horrible and Cozette hadn’t contacted her in over a month now, they still cared about one another.

“No, no.” Cozette felt that she meant more with those two words, but as always Lacey understood she couldn’t tell her anything.

“What kind of situations has this put you in then?” Cozette sighed and Lacey waited patiently for her to respond.

“There’s this guy that thinks I know something.” She paused and Lacey stayed quiet. “He keeps on approaching me, asking questions that can get both of us killed.” Lacey hummed in response and they both stayed silent for a few moments.

“Yeah, I can see how that puts you in a jiffy. Does senior know?” Cozette smiled at the nickname that Lacey had given her boss. Back when the two were together, Lacey had trouble remembering which one who was called Marty, so she decided to call them senior and junior. Marty didn’t like that at all. Cozette thought was hilarious.

“He does. And that’s why I’m in trouble.” Cozette took a deep breath and continued. “He wants me to get close to the boy and then tell him a lie about the murder. And it’s the kind of lie that would break the little peace there is.”

“That sucks.” Cozette nodded her head even though she knew Lacey couldn’t see her. “You’re gonna do it, aren’t you?” Sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose Cozette knew her answer.

“Yes.” She paused and she instantly knew that Lacey knew what she wanted. “I need your help.”

“Okay.” Lacey said nothing more. She didn’t ask Cozette what she wanted her to do. And for that Cozette would be forever grateful. “Sounds like this dude is pretty massive within the mafia. Is it okay if I ask who it is?” Cozette knew that Lacey wouldn’t like who it was. They both knew who the boy in question was and they both knew he was a highly stated mafia member. Gambling with a person like him was always a risk. Cozette took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she spoke.

“Liam Payne.”

“Oh.” Lacey said nothing more. Both girls stayed quiet for a long time.

“Yeah.” Cozette didn’t know what to say. She was afraid Lacey would say no, now that she knew who they were dealing with.

“We need to meet up. We can’t talk about this over the phone.” Cozette agreed and quickly hung up before Marty could hear anything. She slowly sat down on her bed and for what felt like the hundredth time, she cursed Liam Payne for walking into her life.