Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56

SIMON

A few hours later, I left Rylee at the hotel room. I didn't want to leave her alone, but honestly, I had a feeling she was safer being away from me. But I also wanted her close because I felt like I was the only one that could really protect her. Then again, being near me was what had been putting her in danger.

I kissed her forehead, and then her lips, and then her lips again for good measure. "This is temporary," I told her, my voice soft but firm. "Please stay here, where I know you'll be safe. There's security in the lobby and here on our floor, waiting a few doors down, watching. I promise you. I will fix this."

She nodded. "Maybe I'll mix cocktails with the mini liquors in the fridge," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's the spirit." I chuckled, feeling a surge of affection for her. She was staying strong, which I appreciated. I so hated that she was put in the middle of this mess at all.

After saying goodbye, I headed downstairs, where my personal driver and security detail were waiting. The meeting had been hastily put together. I hoped it gave me the chance to solve this once and for all. Residents and their spokespeople, which were really a bunch of bloodthirsty lawyers trying to cash in on an accident, were probably going to want my blood.

The ride to the meeting was tense. I was furiously texting with my people here in Dallas and back in Houston. My mind raced with scenarios and strategies about how to best handle this situation. Clearly, being honest and apologetic wasn't the right way to go about it. If anything, it seemed to trigger them.

I couldn't shake the image of Rylee standing at the foot of the stairs and staring at the hole in the window. My mind was spinning with the many scenarios that could have happened. I never would have been able to live with myself if something terrible had happened to her. It would have killed me if she was hurt. Thankfully, she was safe in the hotel room. That thought gave me strength. No one was going to find her. I could focus on solving the issues.

The meeting was hosted in a town community hall. Katarina was there waiting. "Just stay calm," she said.

"When am I never not calm?" I replied smoothly.

She laughed. "They are going to ask you for the moon. They're going to insult you and give you a hard time—don't react."

"This isn't my first rodeo," I reminded her.

"And don't apologize," she went on. "We're here to hear their first offer. Where is your attorney?"

"He'll be here soon," I told her. "But I don't need an attorney to tell me what I can and can't do."

Just as I finished speaking, my attorney, Michael, swept into the room. His presence was like a whirlwind, his confidence radiating from him and filling the room. His keen eyes surveyed our surroundings, his sharp mind immediately on guard.

He shook my hand briskly. "Is our esteemed council ready to meet?"

She nodded before leading us further into the building. The large central hall was already filled with residents and their lawyers and media. Murmurs of disapproval ran through the crowd as we made our way toward the front of the room.

I remained calm and composed, just as Katarina had instructed. Walking into the lion's den was an intense feeling. I sat down in front of the board of ten people, all chosen by their neighbors to represent them. As I shifted in my chair, attempting and failing to get comfortable, I thought about the trust placed in these individuals. They were the best of their community, and I respected them for that. I hoped this would be a productive meeting with only a few people given the opportunity to talk. Nothing would get solved if a hundred people were shouting at me.

Amber, the woman leading the council, caught my attention immediately. She wore a blue cardigan and a simple necklace with a diamond pendant. A gift from her husband, I assumed. In her early forties, she likely had a couple of kids and a minivan in the parking lot, maybe even one with a stick family on the back window. Her demeanor was calm but firm. She was going to be no nonsense. I could just tell, which was a good thing.

"Mr. Locke," Amber began, her voice loud and clear. "We've discussed this at length, and we are not here to waste anyone's time. Ideally, we want to reach a compromise. We're aware of the incidents involving some of our neighbors accosting you and your girlfriend. Please know that we do not associate with those people or their behavior. I apologize for their behavior. We understand you are not personally responsible for destroying our neighborhoods. Please know, that no one here wishes you ill will."

I appreciated their forwardness. "Thank you. I'm here for the same reasons. I would like this resolved. If we can all remain calm, we can figure out what the solution is. All you have to do is tell me what you want."

The council exchanged looks, one of them leaning over to whisper in Amber's ear. I felt the shift. I had sat through too many business meetings not to be able to read people. They were about to come at me with their dream list. This was when they asked for millions of dollars for each family. We were prepared for their demands.

"We want you to pay off all our mortgages, install air-purifying systems in all our homes, filters in all our water, and have inspections done to ensure we're living on safe soil near your refinery every ninety days."

I glanced around the table, taking in the diverse group of people. Was that it? That's all they wanted? I watched my attorney open his binder. He slid the top page over to me and tapped on the figure. It was our low ball. The idea was a back and forth until we settled somewhere in the middle.

I looked at Amber, looking into her eyes. I imagined the children she probably had at home and how brave she was for coming here and facing off against me. It was no secret I was a powerful man with a powerful company behind me. I surveyed the faces of the other people in the room. No one spoke. Everyone was looking directly at me.

"Done," I said, surprising them and my lawyer.

He cleared his throat. "Simon."

Amber blinked at me. "Really?"

"Michael," I responded, keeping my gaze locked on the board members. The room was silent, everyone still digesting my sudden agreement. The shock was plain to see on their faces. They obviously had expected a long fight.

"Are you trying to humor me, Mr. Locke?" Amber asked cautiously after a moment, her eyes flickering to my attorney who sat wide-eyed at my side.

"Yes." My response was firm. I could afford it. I could even afford it without a dent in my profits. Plus there was something else, something that touched me deep inside. Maybe it was the simple diamond pendant Amber wore or the imagined stick family that might be on her van. "Throw in free gas for life. Do we have a deal?"

There was an audible gasp from the crowd. They were still trying to decide if I was being serious or not. They were likely expecting me to say I was kidding or that I was just being sarcastic.

Amber, who had been holding herself together quite impressively till now, was clearly taken aback. Her eyes, wide with surprise, flicked from my face to my attorney and back again.

She took a moment to collect herself. "Mr. Locke," she said carefully. "If you're joking with us, it's in poor taste."

"I can assure you I'm not," I replied evenly.

There was an uncomfortable shuffle among the council members. They weren't expecting this. They were prepared for a fight, for negotiations. Not for an immediate agreement to their demands, and certainly not an offer for more.

My attorney squirmed in his seat and finally voiced his protest. "Simon, we need to discuss this in private first before making any such commitments."

I cut him off mid-sentence. "Michael, this isn't a negotiation table anymore. It's a promise being made. I'll have my people get with you," I said to Amber. "We'll need to verify names with property records along with mortgage information. We'll directly pay the mortgages."

A murmur of conversation started around the table as they tried to process what I had just said. The expressions on their faces varied from shock to disbelief and a tinge of hope.

"Mr. Locke," Amber began, her voice shaky now. "We were prepared for a lengthy negotiation. We didn't expect… we didn't think that you'd…"

"Understandably," I cut in amicably. I had stepped back and was watching the scene unfold with a sense of satisfaction. They wanted better lives, safety for their families. Who wouldn't? And who better to give them that than me?

"I want to ensure that all of you can live comfortably without the worry of any negative impacts from my refinery," I continued. "It's not just about money and profit margins. It's about the people, about giving back."

I got to my feet. "Michael will collect the necessary information. All I ask is you talk to your friends or neighbors or whoever is threatening me and my girlfriend. I understand you're angry at me, but assaulting innocent people is a dealbreaker for me. My girlfriend has nothing to do with any of this. Going after her is just plain wrong."

I walked away, going back into the hall and leaving Michael to deal with getting the information. I made a quick call to Dana and then to the Houston office to make sure they were prepared for the phone calls. I had no doubt my offer to pay the mortgages was going to result in everyone coming to us with their hands out. We were going to have to determine who was actually affected and who was just hoping to capitalize on the incident.

A few of the residents found me in the hall and shook my hand, thanking me for doing the right thing. I was glad we could come to a reasonable compromise. I knew I had just destroyed their property value and, in so doing, their financial plans for the future. This deal was my way of giving them something back, and the guilt I'd been feeling began to ebb away.

Amber approached me. She looked a bit nervous as she looked at me. "Mr. Locke, the residents who threw the brick through your window likely won't come to any sort of compromise. They're so angry. Just be careful. I am not here representing them. The majority of us just want to move on with our lives. We don't want violence. It isn't the goal."

"I will," I assured her. "Thank you for the warning, Amber. But let me be clear. When I find out who they are—and I will find out—they better not be associated with you. That is my only condition."

"I am sorry if your girlfriend was hurt," she said.

"She's terrified and they attacked her friends too. What my company did to you all was an accident. What they did was on purpose."

"I'm truly sorry for that." She extended her hand. "Thank you for being fair about this. More than fair."

"You're welcome."

As I walked back to the waiting car, I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and lingering unease. The deal was a step in the right direction, but Amber's warning echoed in my mind. Some residents wouldn't be satisfied, no matter what I did. They wanted to make me pay. They seemed to think I was personally responsible and had to pay more than money.

Katarina slid into the car beside me. "Yes?" I asked.

"You do realize you are paying me to handle this?"

I nodded.

"We really need to discuss what you are going to do before you do it," she said.

I shrugged. "I didn't know what I was going to do," I replied calmly.

"Which is why it's okay to take a minute to discuss this kind of thing," she replied.

"I would think this would make your job easier," I said. "You can spin this, right? This solves the problem."

She rolled her eyes. "I knew you were going to be a pain in the ass when I first met you. I'll be in touch."

She got out of the car and walked away.