Page 3 of Finn

“As do I.” He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. “He plays just within the rules. He’s not under anyone’s jurisdiction, but I have a feeling there’s more going on there than horse racing. I’ve heard the rumors.”

“As have I.” I frowned. “I don’t like the fact that one of mine owes him money. Or even that he frequents that place.” I met Roman’s gaze. “Name.”

“Brian Murphy.”

“Dammit,” I replied, somehow not surprised at hearing that name.

He lifted an eyebrow in a silent question.

“His father, Jim, was one of my men. Brian’s been a pain in my ass since he joined us.” I rubbed my eyes. “Always just this side of too much trouble. Looking for the easy way to do things. Lazy.”

“What I heard, he owed Lopez upwards of twenty. He was trying to win it to pay him. He did okay the other night and I imagine it was enough to buy himself a few days, but last night, he played poorly. I have a feeling, with the interest Lopez is charging, he’s getting frantic. We both know that leads to bad decisions.”

“How much does he owe you now?”

“Five.”

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“Not a huge amount, but enough that he can’t cover it. I stepped in and cut him off.” He shrugged. “He wasn’t happy and got fucking mouthy. I decided I needed to tell you.”

“You were right. I have to figure this out.”

“Cut him loose.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“His father saved my life. Took a bullet meant for me. He never recovered and died later. I told him I’d look after his kids.”

“More than one troublemaker?”

“No. His sister is one of my most loyal, exemplary staff. Very well-thought-of.”

“You need to rein him in.”

“I will.”

“You want me to talk to Lopez?”

I shook my head. “Don’t get involved, Roman. As much as I appreciate the offer, he’s an unknown entity. You have a wife and a young one. A family. I don’t want you on his radar.”

He nodded, although he was clearly not happy about my answer. “I don’t want anyone I know on his radar,” he muttered. “I have a bad feeling about him.”

“Roman,” I added, waiting until he met my eyes. “I’ll talk to Lopez. Clear up the debt, and Brian can work it off with me.” I blew out a long breath. “I appreciate you coming to me instead of taking care of business the usual way. I’ll deal with this. But Brian isn’t allowed to gamble in your casino again.”

“I made that very clear last night.”

“I’ll make sure his debt to you is cleared today. Niall will transfer the money. And he’ll be warned about no more gambling. I’ve honored his father’s debt.”

“I agree.”

“And as I said, I appreciate you coming to me.”

He inclined his head in acknowledgment.

“Now, tell me. How is that little one of yours?”