The loud thud which resonated in the room, silenced the men who were chatting away in the living room. Navier who was still locked in a trance now stared down at the man she had just knocked into the state of unconsciousness with the pan she still held in her hand.
"What the-? Diego!" A paniced voice snapped her back to reality. Her fear vanished and soon the adrenaline kicked in once more, as she needed to get out of there and fast. Navier lost her grip on the pan as soon as her eyes made contact with one of the thieves, like someone caught in a murder scene.
The terrified lady turned on her heels in the speed of light, dashing towards the door; ready to save her life. 'Help! Please somebody- anybody, please. Help me!' She pleas, eyes brimmed with tears as she reached for the door, ready to expose the intruders.
Before the tips of her fingers could graze the door knob, a strong hand caught her from behind, aiming to pin her arms behind her. Navier unable to give up without a fight, briskly stepped on his toes, rough enough to cause him to yelp in pain, finally letting go of her.
The lady aimed for the door again, hope springing into determination as she held the door about to slide it open and alert the guards, but another arm caught her again. Finally pinning her arms behind her, rendering them useless.
The lady kicked and screamed in desperation.
"No! Please, help me! Somebody, help!" Navier screamed on top of her lungs.
"Shut up!" The one holding her captive behests in irritation, and soon the rest of them started to aim in on her, she panics, losing her breathe. Her heartbeat accelerates and she trembled uncontrollably in his grip.
"Please..." Navier pleads, completely out of breathe as soon as the shock, fear and the panic settled in. "Let me go..."
"Not until you explain why you just assaulted Diego." the man holding her growled.
"Please, let me go! Please...?" She fidgetes trying to find an atom of strength in her body to break free, but he was just too strong for her. "Please, in...haler." she panths for air.
"Do you really think we'd fall for that?" One of them said, his folded arms in front of his chest. Although at this moment, Navier could barely make out what he said. With the last atom of strength she could muster, she managed to push her captor away.
Briskly making her way to the living room, but everything turned hazy, barely making out her environment. Running out of breathe, strength fled from her legs as she fell to the ground, desperately searching for her inhaler, she crawled on the floor.
Her face and eyes had turned red due to lack of oxygene. 'God, please, save me...' She prayed, almost about to give up on life, when suddenly a strong arm turned her around, holding her almost limp body, placing the inhaler in her mouth, and gave her a few shots. Only then was she able to breathe again. Navier helplessly slumped into her savior's arms, finally losing consciousness, but only for a brief moment.
Which brings them to now. "Get up, now." the one with the rough voice orders, again. "Do not force my hand."
His threat left her no room to pretend nor play dumb anymore, and her eyelids ever so slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the brightness that met her sight. Although, Navier regretted her decision after her sight focused, zeroing in on all their faces.
'Lord, help me. There's six of them!' She panics once more, but it was too late to turn back now.
"Stay back." Navier warns, grabbing a pillow nearby, defensively. "I'm not letting you rob this house!" Her meek yet determined voice utters.
The six men froze, their expressions ranging from confusion to amusement. Then, a tall man with striking green eyes—eerily similar to Aiden's—stepped forward, hands raised.
"Lady, calm down," he said in a rough voice, though his tone carried a hint of irritation. "We're not thieves."
Navier glared, her grip tightening on the pillow. "That's exactly what a thief would say."
The six brothers loomed over her, their piercing gazes making her squirm. Diego, now conscious and sporting an ice pack on his head, glared daggers at her.
"Explain yourself," The man with the rough voice, demanded.
"I thought you were thieves. Trespassing on a private property." Navier explained, a perplexed frown on her forhead. "Who loiters around looking suspicious like that?"
"Suspicious? Lady, we live here!" one of the brothers exclaimed, his tone dripping with incredulity.
"She's got guts, I'll give her that," another muttered, though his tone was laced with annoyance.
"If there's anyone trespassing, it's you." Another brother adds in irritation.
Green Eyes, clearly the leader, leaned forward. "You owe us an apology, Miss...?"
"Romanoff." Navier replied tersely.
"What are you even doing here?" They asked grimly.
"I live here." She answers staring as their faces turned bewildered at her statement. "With my fiancee." Navier adds to make it sound believable, only to be met with silence.
She thought the explanation settled the whole situation, but was extremely embarrassed when they all burst out laughing hard in her face.
The one with the green eyes leaned forward. "You owe us an apology, miss Romanoff. For trespassing on a private property- our brother's property, without permission."
"But it's the truth." She answers refusing to be made a fool. "I live here with my fiancee, Aiden Millanaire." She declares, causing the men to freeze.
"What did you say?" Before the conversation could escalate further, the doors to the living room swung open with a loud bang. Aiden strode in, his expression unreadable.
"What is going on here?" he asked, his voice calm yet commanding. Navier setting her eyes on him, finally felt relieve wash over her.
"Aiden." She called out, practically lept off the sofa, running straight into his arms. Surprisingly the man didn't push her away, neither did he avert from her embrace.
All six brothers turned to him at once, their voices overlapping.
"She attacked Diego—"
"She thought we were thieves—"
"And now she's claiming she's your fiancee—"
Aiden held up a hand, silencing them. He glanced down at Navier, who looked both defiant and mortified. Then, with a sigh, he wrapped his arms around her whilst she hugged his waist, burying her face in his chest.
"She is my fiancée." He said smoothly. "Are you alright?" He gently asked the woman he held in his arms.
The room went dead silent.
"Your what?" Diego's voice cracked.
"Fiancée?" Green Eyes repeated, his sharp gaze narrowing. Navier's eyes widened in shock, but she managed to keep her composure, despite the racing of her heart.
One of the younger brothers, whose features mirrored Aiden's mischievousness, burst into laughter. "Oh, this is priceless. Aiden, engaged? To someone who knocks Diego out cold? I like her already."
"Shut it, Cedric," Diego snapped, though his tone lacked real bite.
Green Eyes crossed his arms, his gaze flickering between Aiden and Navier. "Since when do you have a fiancée, Aiden? And why didn't you tell us about it?"
"I don't suppose that's any of your business, Raphael." Aiden replied, his voice steady. "I didn't think it necessary to inform you about my life."
"What are you even doing here? I thought I told you not to visit me without my consent." His voice lacked warmth as he spoke to them, even Navier found his words cold and distant.
The brothers erupted into a cacophony of protests, and disbelief. "But, brother...we just got here." The twins who stood beside each other explained in unison.
"I don't care." Aiden ignored them, hugging Navier closer to himself. "Leave. Now." He orders.