The parabolic microphone went flying across the room where it then struck the wall, breaking into several pieces. The sight of the mess on the floor helped to calm him marginally, but the uneasy feeling that he might be on to something as far as Liberty being someone important to him lingered.
“Do your job,” he said in a harsh whisper. “Maintain focus and complete the mission at hand.”
The words did little to help him concentrate. He’d always been an obedient soldier. He’d always followed orders, but the urge to pack the equipment away and refuse to gather intel on Liberty and her friends was so strong that he nearly gave in.
There was no fucking way Liberty was working with the enemy. It didn’t matter that additional information about her possible involvement in the disappearance of two scientists had come to light and been emailed to Rurik. It didn’t matter that her roommate Isobel was also on PSI’s watch list. Rurik refused to believe for one second that Liberty was with The Corporation.
The supposed proof of it all was on his phone, which was on the side table, buzzing yet again.
It had been doing a lot of that all afternoon.
So far Auberi had tried to reach him numerous times, as had Garth, Blaise, and even Duke of all people.
Rurik hadn’t answered.
He didn’t want to hear what they had to say about the mission. He just wanted to watch the house in hopes of catching a glimpse of Liberty once again.
Reaching down, he adjusted his cock in his jeans. If he didn’t figure out a way to control himself around the woman, he’d be walking around with a nonstop erection.
Closing his eyes, he pictured himself kissing her once again, tasting her sweet lips before this time going further and running his hands up and under her wet T-shirt. The fantasy did nothing to lessen his hard-on. It only served to make matters worse. The man was half tempted to unzip and choke the kuritsa, as Bill would say.
Giving in, Rurik undid the button of his jeans and slid his hand in, rubbing the length of himself. With his eyes still shut, Rurik drew together a mental image of Liberty. She was still in the wet T-shirt in his fantasy, standing there, looking at him with a mix of need and aggravation in her chocolate-brown eyes.
He groaned as pleasure began to build with the simple act of stroking the length of his cock. If touching himself while thinking of her felt this good, he could only guess at what wonders awaited him should he ever experience the feel of her lips wrapped around his shaft, or what it would be like to ram into her pussy. He could taste her lips on his and knew what it was like to kiss her.
He pumped his cock with one hand as he lifted the other, putting his palm to the window to steady himself. With his gaze now locked on the house across the street, but his mind filled with images of Liberty, Rurik sped his pace, focusing on the top portion of his cock. His ball sac tightened as his body teetered on the edge of culmination.
A small intake of breath came from him just as the door to the bedroom burst open, bathing the otherwise dark room in light. Rurik did his best to get his fully erect penis back into his pants and cleared his throat, still facing the window.
“Hey, Sput-Rurik,” said Bill, strolling in as if knocking was a thing of the past. As he pushed the door open farther, the broken pieces of the microphone were shoved aside. “Did I interrupt a special moment between you and your hand? Want me to grab one of my girlie mags, or are you just picturing Liberty Bell while you choke the shit out of your monster of a chicken there? Dude, you doing that raw? I’ve got lotion. Want me to grab that too or are you Russians into pain?”
With a grunt, Rurik rounded on him fully. “I told you not to open that door unless it was an emergency.”
Bill held up a cell phone, confusing Rurik, since he knew damn well that he’d relieved Bill of his mobile device earlier on the drive into Durham. “The dead guy says it’s important. Ergo…it is an emergency.”
With a grunt, Rurik shook his head and then made sure his pants were done up. That was easier said than done seeing as how his dick wasn’t cooperating at the moment.
Bill grinned. “I’ll never tell—that many people.”
“Where is Gus?” asked Rurik, knowing full well the pair could get into trouble in record time.
“Down in the living room, watching the street,” said Bill with a shrug. “He’s on high alert. I ain’t gonna try to talk him down. When he sets his mind to something, there is no reasoning with him. You gonna talk to Frenchie or not?”
Rurik nearly declined but gave in, going for the phone if for no other reason than to get Bill to leave him alone. “What do you want?”
“You to learn to answer your phone,” snapped Auberi, annoyance evident. “I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.”
“I’m aware,” returned Rurik, still glaring at Bill as the man went over to the surveillance equipment and began toying with it. Within seconds, he’d knocked over a tripod, tried to catch the camera mounted to it, only to send it flying in Rurik’s direction. Putting out a hand, Rurik caught the camera, never taking his eyes from the annoying man, all while continuing to speak to Auberi.
“Nice reflexes, Russia,” stated Bill, moving his arm in a way that left him knocking over yet another piece of equipment. This time Bill managed to catch it himself but not without a loud production and several colorful curse words.
“Dare I ask?” questioned Auberi.
“No,” said Rurik.
Chapter Nineteen
Silence greeted Rurik on the other end of the phone, and he entertained hanging up on
