Page 81 of Carnal Risk

“It’ll be okay…I promise you. I can’t leave him,” he told her. His eyes softened and he pressed his palm to her cheek. “I love you. I’ll be right back. Don’t come in after me. Got it?”

Garrett quickly pressed his lips to Selby’s and gave Beckett a nod. The smoke thickened as he ran back into Altura, and he was certain that if he didn’t find Lars within minutes, they’d both be dead.

By the time Garrett reached the basement door, the fire was raging from the east end of the house, where the small parlor rooms were located. On the west side, near the kitchen, smoke poured into the air, but nothing was ablaze. He rounded into the small hallway, and opened the basement door. His heart caught when he saw Lars lying at the bottom of the steps. Broken glass and a mixture of red wine and blood spattered the floor around his body. Under any other circumstances, he wouldn’t have moved him, and would have waited for paramedics. But with the fire raging throughout the building, he had no choice but to get him out of the house first and hope he didn’t injure him further. Hoisting Lars over his shoulder, Garrett noted a significant gash to the back of his head.

As Garrett bounded up the steps, his thoughts raced. The realization that someone had attacked Lars sent him reeling. By the time he’d reached the first floor, the fire had progressed. Opening the basement door, his vision was hampered. Thick with black clouds, the kitchen had begun to burn. Sirens blared through the crackle of the flames.

Garrett fell to his knees and coughed, attempting to orient himself. He crouched low to the floor to avoid the toxic air as he dragged Lars’ body across the tiles. Feeling his way through the darkness, he located the back door, and forced it open, exiting into the yard. Garrett screamed for help and heaved for breath. Within seconds, Nate arrived and lifted Lars into his arms. Garrett shoved to his feet and hunched over, still choking for air. Paramedics arrived at his side and his vision blurred as a mask was forced onto his face. He sucked in oxygen and the haze cleared, bringing clarity to the situation.

Lars coughed and his eyes fluttered open, and Garrett knew that whoever had done this to him had created the ultimate diversion. This time, however, the killer hadn’t killed Lars. No, whoever had done this had quietly subdued him without making a noise. Although Lars was covered in blood, the perpetrator had walked away unmarked, easily slipping into the party unnoticed.

Adrenaline surged through his veins as things came together in Garrett’s mind. He tore around the front of the mansion, looking for Selby. Dazed guests sat on the lawn, and first responders attended to the injured. Screaming her name, he searched frantically, to no avail. It hit him like a ton of bricks raining from the sky, and he doubled over in despair. Selby was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Selby stared at the concrete block walls, her vision adjusting to the dark. Left alone with her thoughts, she took deep breaths, determined not to allow her anxiety to become a greater monster than the one who’d kidnapped her. A computer screen flickered in the corner, illuminating the dirty laminate floor. She stifled the urge to scream as a roach scurried across her foot. Selby tugged again on the twine he’d used to tie her arms to the chair, but was unable to loosen it. As her thoughts drifted to Garrett, she prayed he’d made it out safely.

Her legs had weakened, watching him run into the burning building. She’d wanted to go after him but she’d have only put them both in danger by doing so. Within minutes, the firemen and policemen arrived on the scene, and the guests were cordoned off on the lawn. When Beckett had suggested she leave, she’d steadfastly refused, staring mindlessly at the billowing smoke that spewed from the windows. Tears fell as minutes passed and Garrett didn’t return.

When Beckett had put his arm around her, she’d gone still, uncomfortable with the intimacy. As she attempted to shove away, her eyes flew to his. A sharp metal implement pressed into her back, causing her to freeze. He dug his fingers into her shoulder, nearly bringing her to her knees, and instructed her not to say a word or he’d shoot others at the scene. Separating her from the crowd, he’d managed to get her into his BMW, forcing her at gunpoint to drive to his home in the desert.

When Selby had resisted getting out of the car, he’d dragged her by the hair. She’d fallen onto the dusty gravel, scraping her arms and legs. But she’d refused to cry as he led her down into the cellar. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of her tears.

The door creaked open and Selby steeled her nerves, awaiting his presence. The movement of his feet stomping down the stairs gave her warning that he’d grown more agitated.

“Where’s the data?” Beckett rushed toward her and grabbed her shoulders.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied.

As the back of his hand hit her cheek, she saw stars. The chair tumbled to the ground and her head smacked onto the hard surface. Disoriented, she coughed as she inhaled dust. Selby tasted the coppery tang of blood on her tongue, and her eyes teared in pain. As he righted her chair, her head bobbed as if she were a ragdoll.

“Listen, you fucking bitch. I know Evan took the data.”

“I told you…” Selby lifted her mascara-stained lids and glared at him. “I don’t have it.”

“Where’s he keeping it?” He whipped a gun from behind his back and tapped her under her chin. “Yeah, that’s right. I heard the boss man talking about it tonight.”

“Why would you do this? Your brother…” Selby gasped as he wrapped his fingers around her neck. Her lips tightened, and she was unable to speak another word.

“Shut your mouth, you stupid cunt. My brother was a weak piece of shit. He could have been a millionaire like that asshole you’re fucking. But no, no, no.”

Selby sucked breath as he released her throat and began to pace.

“What a fucking idiot. He wasn’t ruining this for me. And you’re not stopping me either. No way. I have a buyer. I’m going to be rich. Emerson will bring the files and then I’m out of here.”

“Where can you possibly run? He’ll find you.”

“There’s a couple dozen countries I can name off the top of my head that don’t have extradition treaties, but it doesn’t matter really. The people who want this data, they’ve got deep pockets. He’ll never find me. None of them will.”

“Evan…”

“Evan suspected someone had been in the files. I just knew that asshole would figure out how to wipe it all. But I also knew he had it somewhere in his possession. The day before his jump, when I asked him why the project was stalled…” Beckett huffed, kicking a storage box. “The dick was such a braggart. I knew he couldn’t keep it a secret. He took the damn files. Had them safe with him, he said.”

“But why kill him?” Selby tried to keep him talking. If Garrett didn’t bring the drive soon, she’d be dead. There was no reason to keep her alive.

“It was impulsive on my part, but I needed more time to search his apartment. I didn’t even know if he’d actually die. I was hoping to land him in the hospital, so I had more time to search his office, all his damn properties. When he died…well, that was an unfortunate accident.” Beckett came behind Selby and knelt, grabbing her breast. “Oh yeah…I could have fucked you so good. When Garrett hired you, well,” he scoffed. “I knew it would be more difficult to get what I needed. You see, I went through Evan’s home office. I found all his credit card statements. I knew everywhere he’d been for over a month. That’s right, Selby. I know.”

Selby went silent, aware that he’d discovered that Evan had come to her club.