Page 58 of Cosmo

Goldie argued, “Anyone touches kids, or makes people do things against their will, deserves it. I met a few in juvie. Theirown parents making them do that shit. Nah, man, they deserve to go down.”

Hippy wasn’t happy. That was obvious. Haze was quiet too. Eazy prodded all of them by asking, “Would you like us to turn this down?”

“How? Then they come after us,” Abs said.

“No,” Murphy said. “I asked, and for all they have on us, it’s all circumstantial. They don’t have pictures of us boosting diamonds or art.”

Haze shook his head as he picked up a rag doll that was near his armchair. “We have little ones to consider. Think of running. If we had to, and I’m not saying they were lying about not going after us, but if so. Those kids wouldn’t handle it well, being without their friends, their beds,” he said, then held up the doll and finished, “Their toys.”

Mims added, “What about Mick? He’d never make it.”

Liam saw all of it dawning on them. Hippy whispered, “And think of the daughters and sons we’d save.”

Goldie nodded and said, “That, right there.”

“Then, we’re agreed?” Eazy asked.

“I’ll agree, as long as we don’t make this our entire mission,” Hippy said. “I’m not making my life as a snitch, even to help get terrible people.”

“Fair enough,” Murphy said with a smile. “Hippy, if we’re…doing this, you’ll come in handier than ever. Keep us on track with what we need. I’ll speak to our dealer if we need anything else.”

“I’ll make a list.”

“More wires. I never want us going into a talk with the feds without them,” Murphy said, looking pointedly at Liam. “Not once.”

Goldie teased, “Even when you fuck him again.”

“Who said I’m fucking him again?”

Eazy broke in with, “You’re going to fuck him, Liam. Not only can I tell you like him, but you need him on our side, or…”

“To have more on him, in case…”

“Yeah. In case.”

Abs grabbed Daiq from Liam as they dispersed. “Let’s take him and give him treats.”

“You’re spoiling him.”

“So?”

They walked together up to Liam’s room and as Liam watched Abs giving Daiq his treats, he asked, “Hippy hates me, doesn’t he?”

“Like you, Hippy doesn’t trust easily. It took him a while to get to know us and let us in. Like all of us, he’s been through shit, and, well, it takes a toll. You should know that.”

“I get it. I’m not upset or anything, but…”

Abs’ eyes rose to meet his, and Liam saw his determination. “He won’t betray you. He’s not easily won over, but that also means that once he is, he’s loyal to a fault.”

“Good. I’ll just have to win him over, I guess.”

“That won’t be hard. I see you, Cosmo. We’re growing on you already. You like us.”

Ignoring that as much as he could, Liam said, “I gotta go steal more cars. Want to watch that little cat right there?”

“I’ll fall asleep on your bed, so you’ll be on the couch again.”

“I don’t mind. See you in the morning.”

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