The Four Brothers ~ Completed

Capítulo Vinte e Seis: O Edifício

Gemma's POV:

"Read it to me, word for word." Zion demanded, raking his hands through his hair. I bit my lip, wondering how to phrase things so that it didn't sound like I was keeping things out.

"Gemma, if there's something you aren't telling us about this email then you better 'fess up." Sinclair warned, glancing over my tense posture. Why didn't he think I was simply worried? Was I taking too long to respond?

"Look, it's just that..." I started but I wasn't sure what to say.

They waited, waiting for me to finish what I was saying.

"Gemma, just read the email." Zion said, his voice hard and stern. I could feel my anger rise at being spoken to like that, but I fought it back. I knew he was just irritated that someone threatened to blow up his business.

"Fine. 'Dear Mr. Zion, it seems you have something we need. Give the girl over and we will have no problem. Reject and you will suffer the consequences. Your building is very big. Imagine how much damage could be done if it exploded, unexpectedly. I would hate for such a beautiful landmark to fall, but it will fall if you don't listen to it. The girl knows exactly what we are talking about. We will meet in front of the Statue of Liberty in two days at noon. If you're not there, with the girl, your building will collapse with a boom. Please don't make me take such extreme measures. It would be a shame.'" I read out sarcastically.

I waited for several minutes after reading for them to say something, but there was absolute silence. It was a bit worrisome.

"What the hell?" Damian asked slowly. All heads were turned towards me, questioning looks and anger rising in their eyes.

"Why do these people want you? How do they know you're our sister? What are they talking about? How in the hell do they think threatening my building is going to get them anything?" Zion exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

I bit my lip but stayed silent.

At Tobias's stern glare I sighed, my shoulders slumping in defeat.

"They think you're just another businessman who'll be afraid of their threats. The media already has the story about your long-lost sister so everyone knows. They're talking about something that I did to them that made them a little frustrated." I said, a sheepish blush crawling up my neck.

"Explanation. Now." Tobias ordered, his voice stone cold.

"Please?" I asked, arching an eyebrow at him. His jaw ticked once, then twice in irritation.

"Please explain." Tobias restated. I smiled and sank into the bed, twisting my fingers anxiously. They were going to take this very well, or very, very badly.

I was hoping for option number one.

"I'm smarter than most kids my age. George figured that out early. Have you heard the rumors of his running guns and drugs through Mexico?" I asked, starting my story with something they already knew.

"Yeah." Sinclair said, furrowing his eyebrows. He didn't see the relevance of knowing about said rumors.

"They weren't rumors. And I was the one who was doing the books." I said, my toes curling in anticipation. I was waiting for the yelling and screaming to start, but it never did. Instead, when I finally looked, they looked rather impressed.

"Not bad for a twelve year old." Damian said thoughtfully, shooting me a reassuring smile.

"I may have taken a bit of money from the books." I broke the peaceful moment. Tobias's hard eyes snapped back towards me, an accusing look laying within his cornea.

"How much money are we talking about?" Sinclair asked, sinking into the couch right in front of the bed. He was halfway turned towards me, halfway turned towards the door.

"Ten million?" I asked, picking at my thumbnail.

Zion swore loudly. Tobias had a hand on his chin, thinking. Damian was standing silently in shock. Sinclair's jaw was on the floor and his eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"How do you take ten million dollars from a cartel?" Tobias asked softly. That was how I knew he was seconds away from exploding at me. I really didn't want him exploding. I didn't think my mental state could handle that, and no, that isn't just me being dramatic.

I'd had enough frightening events for the past few days. I didn't need anymore for awhile.

"I did it in small amounts. I had to look over the books almost every free second I had since I was five years old. That was eight years of taking really small amounts that they would never even notice gone." I said, worrying with my bottom lip. The irony taste of blood filled my mouth and I realized I split my lip.

"So now they want their money back?" Zion asked like he still wasn't fully comprehending what I was telling him. I nodded.

"I'm not asking for you to pay back the money, I promise. And I didn't come into your lives expecting any type of danger. I didn't even think they'd notice." I grumbled the last part under my breath.

I had been so careful about covering my tracks. They should've never figured out that I was the one behind cooking the books.

"The money isn't a problem." Sinclair instantly waved that particular problem away like it was nothing. It wasn't nothing. It was ten million dollars! Who has that type of money just laying around? No one, that's who.

"You forget, Gemma, you're related to some of the richest people in the world." Damian pointed out with a small smirk. I had forgotten that tiny detail. It was surprisingly easy to forget that my brothers were incredibly rich when I was being shot at and chased around the state by a cartel that wanted me dead.

"The problem is that you didn't tell us this immediately." Tobias grit through clenched teeth with a pointed glare in Damian's direction. I arched an eyebrow at him in disbelief.

"Immediately? When I thought you all hated me and I was one step away from getting kicked out? When I thought you were normal people without lives involving the criminal underworld? 'Cause that would've made such a great first impression. Anyways, they weren't supposed to find out till they counted at the end of the year and by then I was hoping to be far beyond their reach." I said, shrugging when I finished. Tobias took a very deep breath in.

I guessed that he was holding in his temper. Yay for me.

"So, what now?"