Finn by Madison Stevens Read Free Book Online

up.”
    “How long?” Finn asked quietly as the men chatted in the room. Several cast him glances as they huddled in small groups.
    “Only today,” Conor replied. “Several work near the mall, and we thought we’d be able to get ahold of them to help. Their numbers had been disconnected.”
    Finn gritted his teeth. Ennis was certainly picking them off to make an army. The question was only when he would strike, not if.
    “Do you have a plan?” Conor looked to him with concern in his eyes. For the first time in forever, Finn wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Half his men wanted to keep making money like they had with his father, regardless of the path they were led down. It was easy for them. Make a few deals, and they never had to deal with the woman and children shoved into metal crates, shipped off to god knows where doing god knows what.
    His fist clenched. It was one thing to take out a bad guy or two. After all, they all knew what they were getting into. Live by the sword, die by the sword. But the people who would be trafficked, that the Russians had already been trafficking, were just average people trying to live a happy life. He couldn’t tolerate that. He wouldn’t tolerate that.
    “We’ve got to get this shit with the city council figured out,” he said. “If we can start pulling in more money, the men will see how easy things can be.”
    Conor nodded. “So we wait on Claire,” he sighed. “She’s gotta love that.”
    Finn looked over at him sternly. “I think you’d be surprised with how much she actually cares.”
    Conor cleared his throat and nodded. Finn didn’t care if they two of them wanted to continue with their silly spat, but he wasn’t going to let them sit around and talk badly about one another. They were good people, and the sooner they each realized it, the better things would be.
    “Settle down,” Finn said loudly into the group. The men turned to him. Some were faithful and waited for his orders. Others stared with mild disinterest, and a few looked at him with open contempt. He knew that this wasn’t the last discussion they would have about defectors.
    “Boris has made himself known today,” he said. A murmur spread in the crowd. “He’s ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Be vigilant in everything you do because there will be no deals with him.”
    Finn paced around the room, looking each man in the eye as he went. “We’ve fought against some mighty families, but this one man differs from them all.”
    He paused and swept around to look at them. “This man doesn’t negotiate. It’s all or nothing, and he has no problem tossing aside anyone who might think about selling us out.”
    His attention lingered on several men who stared at him with open contempt. “Make a deal with the devil, and there’s nothing, and no one, to stop him from dragging you to hell.”
    The largest of those glaring glanced away at his statement. He wanted it clear. If they were going to sell him out, let it be to Ennis. Boris was not the man he wanted knowing details of his life.
    “I’ll be leaving the details of your orders with Conor,” he said. “You are to defer to him if I’m not around.”
    He turned to Conor, who looked surprised. It was his first real appointment in a more official capacity. Finn hated that it came in this way, but he could trust Conor and knew him to be someone that would follow his word.
    Several men talked quietly about the news. It was unusual to pick a second in command that wasn’t blood related.
    “For now go home and be ready.”
    He walked out the door to his office, Conor not far behind. Inside, Liam sat at his desk, waiting for him.
    “You skipping the meeting?” Finn said and leaned against his desk.
    “Figure I heard all I needed to.” He nodded to Conor.
    “Seriously,” Conor said, moving to stand before Finn. His face was red. “What the fuck?”
    Finn frowned. “I thought you made the best sense. I don’t