Page 28 of Owned By the Russian

He picked out a few simple pieces at first?comfort-focused, practical, and neutral?before his gaze lingered on a section that made him pause.

A set of black lingerie caught his attention, the delicate material soft but enticing, contrasting sharply with the rest of the items in his basket. He reached for it, his fingers tracing the intricate design, the way the lace curved and hugged the edges of the fabric.

For a brief moment, he let himself indulge in fantasies, imagining what this set would look like on her fair skin. He grazed the crotch area with his thumb, imagining it damp with her wetness, imagining ripping them off her skin or flicking it to the side before burying himself inside her.

A tense heat coiled low in his abdomen, his body already reacting to the image forming in his mind?Valentina, wrapped in the delicate black lace, looking utterly submissive and devastatingly beautiful.

The thought stirred something primal, an ache in his pants that was growing harder to ignore, but he was forced to rein it in. He wasn’t about to lose control in the middle of a store like some creep.

With a clenched jaw, he grabbed the set and dropped it into the basket with the rest of the items, ignoring the surge of heat that climbed up his chest.

Ilya’s phone buzzed in his pocket as he loaded the last bag of groceries into the trunk of his car. The screen lit up with Kostya’s name. He sighed, already knowing the conversation wasn’t going to be pleasant, but he swiped to answer anyway.

“What?” Ilya said, his voice gruff as he leaned against his car and glanced at the sky, the crisp morning air biting at his skin.

“Is that how you answer the phone now, Brother?” Kostya’s voice came through, laced with amusement.

“Don’t be a bitch,” Ilya replied flatly. “Say what you want. I’m busy.”

“Busy playing house in the woods?” Kostya laughed, a low rumble that grated on Ilya’s nerves. “You’re insane, you know that? Kidnapping Valentina? Of all people, Ilya.”

Ilya rubbed the bridge of his nose, already regretting picking up his brother’s call. “I didn’t kidnap her.”

“Oh, no? What would you call dragging her out to some lodge in the middle of nowhere? A family retreat? Because Iknowthat’s what you did.”

“She’s safe here. That’s what matters.”

Kostya snorted. “You’re out of your damn mind. You really think keeping her cooped up out there is going to end well? She’s not exactly the sit-still-and-comply type. For all you and I know, she might probably be planning an escape right now.”

Ilya smirked faintly, his eyes scanning the quiet, awakening town. “Let her try,” he said coolly. “She won’t get far before I catch her. It’s pointless.”

“Sure,” Kostya drawled. “Because nothing fuels cooperation like feeling cornered.”

“She’ll come around,” Ilya replied, his confidence unwavering. “I’ll handle it.”

“Yeah, I bet. Handling it by keeping her pissed off 24/7.”

Ilya could hear the grin in his brother’s voice and scowled. “Anything meaningful you want to say before I hang up?”

“Listen, I called because I was worried you were in over your head. But you’re right?this is actually fun. I can’t wait to see how you explain it to her father when she finally snaps and stabs you.”

“Ya dayu tebe odnu sekundu.”

“Just don’t do anything stupid,” Kostya chuckled. “Well, stupider than you’ve already done.”

“Goodbye, Kostya.”

“Take care of her, Ilya,” Kostya’s tone shifted, the teasing edge replaced by the sternness that came with years of navigating their dangerous world. “Seriously. Don’t mess this up. Now that bastard Ivonov knows we’re on his ass, he’s managed to slip under the radar again. I don’t know how that fucker does it, but Valentina needs the utmost safety. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you,” Ilya replied, his voice steady, the weight of his responsibility evident in his tone. “She’s safe with me. Nothing will happen to her. Not while I’m alive.”

A brief pause followed, the silence charged before Kostya added, almost hesitantly, “And you—keep yourself safe too.”

The unexpected note of concern caught Ilya off guard. They were brothers who loved each other as they should, but their relationship wasn’t exactly built on outward displays of affection.

He hesitated, then brushed it off with a low chuckle. “Didn’t know you were getting soft on me, little brother.”

“Don’t push your luck,” Kostya snapped, his voice gruff, but Ilya could hear the faint smirk in his words.

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