Page 31 of Owned By the Russian

She had only discovered this serene haven after her failed escape attempt from the lodge, and it quickly became her refuge?a temporary relief from the chaos that seemed to follow her every step.

For a moment, she allowed herself to forget about Ilya, the cage he’d built around her, and the anger that simmered just beneath her skin. In that stillness, she felt free. It was as though the world beyond the lake didn’t exist, and only the cool depths of the water mattered.

But that peace shattered the moment she heard the rustle of leaves behind her. Her breath hitched, and she froze, sensing his presence even before she saw him. She knew it was Ilya. There was a way he looked at her that was peculiar to him alone?she could always feel the weight of his gaze on her, sharp and focused, as if every inch of her body was under scrutiny to be studied.

The thought made her skin pickle, her stomach knotting. She was completely naked in the water, and though he couldn’t see all of her, she could feel the intensity of his stare as if it cut through the water itself.

Trying to mask just how much his gaze affected her, Valentina spoke with as much venom as she could muster. “What the hell do you want now?” She kept her gaze directly locked on his. “You really need to find a new hobby, you know. Spying on a woman while she’s trying to get some peace and quiet is a pretty pathetic one. Not to mention how creepy it is.”

Her words were meant to sting, to make him back off. But her heart skipped a beat as she watched him pulling his shirt over his head and unbuckling his belt.

Her eyes widened in shock as she turned quickly, trying to shield herself from what she knew was coming. She could hear the rustle of fabric, followed by the sound of boots hitting the shore.

“Are you insane?” she screeched, but it was too late. As if to prove just how little he cared for her protests, Ilya stepped into the lake with a casual confidence. The cold water didn’t seem to faze him at all as he waded deeper, fully exposing his naked torso.

She could feel him swimming towards her, and she wanted nothing more than for some kind of black hole to appear in the water and swallow her whole. She didn’t know how to act around him, not when they were both butt naked in the same water. Imagining him naked was one thing. Skinny dipping with him, on the other hand, was a whole different ball game.

Effortlessly, he emerged in front of her, his gaze as intense as ever. The muscles in his chest and arms rippled with each movement, his bare skin glistening in the sunlight filtering through the trees. His eyes locked onto hers, and for a brief moment, she almost forgot how to breathe.

She quickly snapped back to reality, her anger flaring as her self-consciousness heightened. “You’re crazy,” she said, her voice now shaking with a mix of disbelief and fury as she tried to find a way to reclaim the little bit of dignity she had left. “What is wrong with you?”

“You’re the one who’s in my territory, remember?” he said, his voice low but teasing. In this angle, the sun struck his dark blue eyes in a way that made them appear almost otherworldly?intense and striking, like the calm before a storm.

The light danced across the water, reflecting in his eyes and giving them a piercing, almost hypnotic quality that entranced Valentina. There was something raw and predatory about the way he looked at her, as if he were studying every reaction, every flicker of emotion that crossed her face.

It unnerved her in a way she couldn’t explain, yet she couldn’t look away.

“I love watching you try and fail to escape me, Valentina. You think I’ll let you run away so easily?”

They trod the water in slow circles, the lake rippling around them like a cage neither of them could escape. Valentina’s cheeks flushed in mild embarrassment as his words registered, and she glared at him sharply. But his smirk was sharper, his eyes glinting with amusement as he studied her.

“Got to say,” he continued, his voice low and teasing, “not your finest moment,Kisa.”

A muscle in Val’s jaw ticked as she refused to surrender to his whims.

“You barely made it halfway before giving up. Honestly, I expected more from you.”

Val scoffed as she clenched her fists under the water. “Not everyone can navigate a forest like some goddamn lunatic with nothing better to do.”

“Ah, but see, that’s the difference between us,moya printsessa,” Ilya drawled, his voice maddeningly calm as he moved closer, the water rippling softly around him. “Idohave better things to do. And yet, here I am, chasing after you like some hapless babysitter.”

Valentina stood her ground, her cheeks heating at the possessive way he called her his princess. She hated how it sent an unwanted shiver down her spine, even as her glare sharpened.

She scowled. “Oh, give me a break. You didn’t have to come after me.”

“Didn’t I?” he taunted, tilting his head, his wet hair glinting in the sun. “If I hadn’t come back this morning, where would you be now? Still wandering aimlessly or sitting by this little lake, sulking like a child?”

Her embarrassment flared into anger, and she cursed under her breath. “You shouldn’t have come back at all,” she spat, her voice shaking. “I would’ve preferred it if you’d just stayed gone.”

His smirk didn’t falter, but his eyes darkened slightly, the teasing edge in his tone turning sharper. “Careful, Valentina. You might hurt my feelings.”

Val lifted her brows in mock surprise. “Feelings? That’s surprising. I didn’t know a brick wall like you had those.”

“And here I thought you’d be thanking me for saving you from yourself.”

“Thank you?” she hissed, her voice incredulous. “You kidnapped me, Ilya. Dragged me out here like some helpless?”

“You were in danger,” he interrupted, his voice sharp, cutting through her protests like a blade. It carried an edge, as if he was sick of repeating himself. He moved closer, the water parting around him with each step. “Whether you like it or not, I made sure you didn’t get hurt. Call it whatever you want, Val, but don’t pretend you don’t know why I did it.”

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