My thought is – if Paige really knew and understood all the details of my plan, she'd be on board with it. Hell, she'd probably be leading the charge to make it happen. It's been a few hours since our blow up and I still feel like shit. And not just because my hand is bandaged up from the glass I'd broken.
No, I feel like absolute shit for letting things get to the point they did with Paige. I should have found some way to communicate with her. A better way. A way to make her understand what it is I'm really doing. But, I failed on that front.
In fact, given the way we'd left things, I had failed pretty fucking miserably.
Wanting to make amends, and hoping that she's cooled down some by now, I head down into town. I briefly consider stopping to get her some flowers to apologize, but think that might be a little too over the top. Paige is a woman who respects actions. Not words. Not flowers. Action is the way to get through to her.
So, I intend to show her my actions are all above board. Show her that I'm not the monster she thinks I am. And show her that my plan for Port Safira is one she can, and should, get behind.
I find a spot just off Sapphire Avenue and park. Grabbing my satchel that has all the documents, contracts, and paperwork I want to show her to prove I'm not what she thinks I am, I get out of the car. Locking it behind me and setting the alarm, I turn and head off down the street.
I'm about halfway to Paige's shop when I see a familiar face walking toward me, a wide, greasy smile on his face. Damon Moore stops in front of me, smirking and blocking my way. The anger he inspires in me bubbling just beneath the surface, I have to physically restrain myself from punching him in square in the face.
“I don't have time for you right now, Damon,” I grumble. “Get out of my way.”
“We need to chat, Liam,” he says.
“No, we really don't,” I say. “I've got nothing to say to you.”
“No, but I have something to say to you.”
I move to step around him, but Damon moves with me, blocking my way.
“I'm not in the mood to deal with your bullshit, Damon,” I say, my voice low. “So, I'll ask you again, get out of my way.”
My fists are balled at my sides and I'm ready for a fight. I pray it doesn't come to that because it's the last thing I need. All I want is to talk it out with Paige. To make things right with her. Damon doesn't budge, so I start to go around him. Instead of moving to block me again, he reaches out and grabs my arm.
I yank my arm away and round on him, drawing back my fist, letting the rage flow through me. Damon, being the pussy he's always been, backs up a couple of steps, his hands up, palms facing me to show he's not a threat. Reluctantly, I lower my hand, but it remains balled into a fist, ready to rock at a moment's notice. There is no way in hell I'm letting a little punk bitch like Damon Moore get the drop on me.
“I'll make this quick, Anderson,” he says, obviously knowing that his time with me is running short. “All I'll say is – stop making offers in Port Safira. Stop trying to buy up properties here. Move on, or else.”
I glare at him, a malevolent smirk touching my lips. “Or else?” I ask, arching an eyebrow. “Or else – what?”
“I heard about what happened to you in Seattle,” he says casually. “Damn shame, you almost getting knifed in a dark alley like that. Heard they never caught who did it, either. And golly, I'd just hate for you to run into that guy again.”
“Is that a threat, Damon?”
“No, just expressing my sympathy for an increasingly shitty world. The last thing I'd ever want is for you to wind up hurt, Liam. You're a giant of the industry, after all,” he says. “All I'm saying is that if you keep on your present course, you're inviting trouble into Port Safira. All I'm saying is that you need to see the bigger picture and calm your shit down.”
“I'm inviting trouble? Funny. It sounds like you're the one resorting to threats and violence. Not that you'd actually have the balls to stand up to me yourself,” I say. “No, you're the type of pussy who'd hire another pussy to knife a guy in the back in a dark alley. Now, if you'll get the fuck out of my way, I have a meeting.”
That last part's a lie. I came down to try and talk to Paige – not that he needs to know that. But now, with Damon looming over me, watching my every move – not to mention the fact that he just threatened me – I'm tempted to put off my meeting for a bit, just so I can walk into any of these businesses around me and make an offer today.
Just to fuck with him. Just to show him I'm not one to be messed with either. Yeah, maybe Paige is right, and this all boils down to a “who has the bigger dick” contest. Well, I'm about to show him that the bigger dick belongs to me. By a goddamn mile.
When I moved here, I really had no intention of doing business in Port Safira. Not at first. But Damon forced my hand and now, I have some stake in the game. Unlike him though, I have no intention of demolishing the town and inviting high-end chain stores in. But, with Damon Moore and Mayor Goodrich pulling shady shit to accomplish that, it's hard to stay out of it.
And it's not only about money. I don't want this town to lose its charm, to become a shithole just because Damon Moore wants to get even richer. And if Damon is allowed to keep on doing what he's doing, Port Safira is definitely going to become a shithole. If he's allowed to run all the new projects, it's only a matter of time before buildings start collapsing and people start dying. And after that, it's not going to be long before all the residents start moving away.
If Damon Moore is allowed to build Port Safira in his image, it's going to be a dead spot on the map. Nothing more than a ghost town. And it'll all happen within a decade. I don't want to see that. I won't let that happen.
Damon scowls at me, his eyes bulging and red with anger. He stares long and hard at me. If looks could kill, I would be dead already. But I gave it right back to him, not backing down. Not one fucking inch. Damon likes to think he's a tough guy, but he doesn't scare me.
Even if the incredibly unlikely event that he gets the drop on me and somehow manages to beat the shit out of me, I'll still get right back up and make my deals with the people in town. Nothing Damon can do will hurt me. Nor will it stop me.
There is absolutely nothing Damon can do that will keep me from doing business any-goddamn-where I please. He's my bitch. He's always going to be my bitch. And it's most definitely not the other way around.
“I'm warning you, Liam,” he says, his voice low and supposedly menacing. “I'm not the kind of person you want to fuck with.”
“Neither am I, Damon,” I reply. “You should know that by now.”
I step around him and walk off, the rage in me overflowing. I can feel his gaze on me, burning holes into my back as if he was shooting daggers in my direction. Originally, I intended to go straight to the bookstore to see Paige. I am going to set things right with her, but it's going to have to wait a minute. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This will give her a little more time to cool down. So, when I finally get a chance to talk to her, maybe she'll be in a more rational, receptive mood.
I glance back and see Damon still standing where I'd left him. Still watching me. I raise my hand and give him the finger as I turn and walk into one of the other local business on Sapphire – Red Door Gifts and More. It's a tiny little trinket and card shop that has a charming, vintage feel to it.
The bells overhead chime and the elderly lady behind the counter is reading a book when I enter. She puts it down and smiles at me, adjusting her glasses.
“Welcome. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with, sir,” she says.
“Actually, I think there very well may be something you can help me with,” I say.
I reach into my pocket, pull out a business card and hand it to her. She takes it and looks it over, then glances back up at me, a curious expression on her face. No doubt, she's heard about all the business deals going on around town.
“My name is Liam Anderson,” I say. “I'm with Anderson Development Enterprises. Do you have a minute to chat? I have a proposal you might be interested in.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Paige