The Four Brothers ~ Completed

Capítulo Dezoito: O Bisbilhoteiro

Gemma's POV:

Listening to people talk from behind a door is a new low for me. Let me give you a refresher in case you haven't been reading.

I was working on figuring my family out. My parents were poor but my brothers were the very definition of wealthy. Not just rich, but filthy rich.

I was also trying to avoid the topic of my upbringing. My brothers tried to talk to me about what happened to me in that hell house, but I dodged each question with ease.

On a brighter note, I was also trying to fix the library. I had a long, long way to go but I was working on it.

I hadn't slept the night after my big revelation about George. Luckily, I'd suffered through enough sleepless nights in my life, therefore knew exactly what to do. Coffee was priority number one.

But then I heard people talking behind Tobias's office door. I'd been in his office before, but the office had always seemed a bit empty. Like, there were no files or documents scattered everywhere.

It could've been blamed on a OCD bossman, but I didn't think that was right. I always thought that Tobias was hiding something.

And here we are, with someone getting yelled at and me listening in.

"Explain it to me again." Came a heavily accented voice. It sounded almost like Spanish accent but... I don't know. There was something there that wasn't quite like what I'd heard from other native spanish speakers.

"There was an attack. It came out of nowhere. They took our entire shipment of guns." Came a trembling, afraid voice. That speaker sounded more American than the first speaker did.

"Three containers of guns?" Tobias's voice rang out. His voice was loud and clear and cutting. It sent chills down my back.

"Like I said, I don't know how it happened. We weren't expecting such a large scale attack tonight. We didn't have enough men to fight." The American man yelped, trying to defend himself.

"How many dead?" Came the not-quite-Spanish speaker.

"Four dead, three wounded, one in critical condition." The American man whimpered. I wondered if he was being hurt.

My heart was pounding furiously in my chest, my breathing frantic. I had no idea what was going on inside that room, but I knew it wasn't anything good. Or legal. It didn't take a genius to figure out my brother had his hands in some very dangerous pies.

"Boss, the men are saying that the attackers were speaking with Ukrainian accents." Not-quite-Spanish man said calmly.

Tobias was the boss?

Oh, God, my brother was the leader of a gang or some type of mafia.

Why wasn't I freaking out more?

"Of course they were. The Ukrainians have wanted war with us since we started working with the South Africans." Tobias sighed heavily.

Definitely mafia.

"And were all the attackers killed before you retreated?" Not-quite-Spanish man asked. I guessed that he was talking to American guy.

"No, not all of them." American guy muttered. He was so quiet I could hardly hear him. My ear was firmly pressed against the door.

For a minute, I was wondering why no one had caught me. And then I glanced down at my watch. It was four in the morning. No one in their right mind would be awake, which meant Damian was probably awake and in the kitchen.

"So, you come to my home where my little sister sleeps?" Tobias's words were snarled out. I flinched away from the door, before his words registered. He was worried about this American guy endangering me.

How sweet.

"I made sure no one followed me. I would never endanger you or a princesa (The Princess)." The American guy stuttered out. I didn't know what language he was speaking but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they were talking about me, or that he used the word princess.

"Get out of my home. You will be dealt with later." Tobias snapped. I scrambled to the end of the hall and then let the exhaustion wash over my face. I started to slowly walk towards the office.

The door swung open and a man nearly ran me over trying to get out. I stumbled back a step or two, my eyebrows furrowing in fake, sleepy confusion.

Tobias and another, darker skinned man were standing at the doorway of Tobias's office. Tobias caught sight of me and arched an eyebrow.

"Gemma, what are you doing awake?" Tobias asked calmly, like he hadn't just threatened a man. Or sounded like he was ready to commit murder, which I was pretty sure he was capable of doing.

"Kitchen. Coffee." I said. A yawn slipped past my lips at the perfect time.

Tobias's eyes softened as he took in my tired form.

"Why don't you go back to bed?" Tobias asked quietly, taking a few steps forward only to crouch in front of me. I blinked slowly.

Now that I was focusing on keeping my sleepy act up, it was less of an act and more of a reality. I shook my head, determined to stay awake. I knew if I fell asleep, I wouldn't get up until noon and then I would lose precious hours of research.

"Can't. Have to clean the library." I mumbled, my eyes slipping closed against my will. When I cracked my eyes open, I saw Tobias send a small grin my way.

"I think the library can wait. Come, I'll walk you to your room." Tobias smiled. It wasn't the first genuine smile I'd ever seen plastered on his face, but, like every time I saw him smile, it took my breath away.

"If you insist." I grumbled, narrowing my eyes threateningly at Tobias. He chuckled at my glare that was glazed over with sleep.

Tobias's friend waved at me before stepping back into the office, closing the door behind him. Tobias started walking, but noticed I hadn't moved. He sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

I blamed it on the exhaustion. I didn't know what I was doing. Hence why I held up my arms, my hands reaching up for him. He hesitated, but then swooped down and pulled me into his arms.

My legs went around his waist, my arms around his neck. My head was shoved into the crook of his neck. I will admit, unashamedly, that I was quite comfortable.

One of Tobias's hands went up to cradle my head, the other wrapped around my waist tightly so I wouldn't fall. I was pretty sure he was afraid of dropping me. I might have dozed off before we actually arrived at my room, but I couldn't really remember.

All I can really remember from Tobias carrying me was a single thought.

How can someone who just threatened someone, who runs a mafia, have such gentle hands?