“I’m glad,” Damien said as they all took seats around the coffee table that dominated the huge office’s seating area. “You’ll have to come to the house before things get crazy. I’m thrilled we have so many friends coming, but I’m afraid that means I won’t have the chance to spend much one-on-one time on Saturday.
“Dallas and Jane are arriving midweek,” he continued, referring to Dallas Sykes, the man who ran Deliverance before ceasing its operations, “And obviously, Quincy, Tony, and Liam are already here.” Damien had snatched up the three former Deliverance operatives for Stark Security. “If you five have a reunion, I might have to crash it.”
Noah chuckled. “How about we induct you as an honorary member of Deliverance, and you can come at your discretion?”
“I’ll take it.”
The intercom buzzed again, and Troy announced, “Mr. Stone is here for his appointment.”
“Send him in.”
Damien rose as the doors opened again, and Ashton Stone stepped into the office.
For one surreal moment, it seemed to Damien that he was looking in a mirror. This was definitely the Ashton Stone he remembered from racing videos, but this Ashton’s face had lost the roundness of youth. Now he was all strong lines and angles, with an edge of determination and competence that Damien recognized.
He bit back a smile, certain he was going to like this guy. He crossed the room and held out his hand in greeting. “Mr. Stone. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Call me Ashton.” He took Damien’s hand, his grip strong, and Damien led him to the seating area, then introduced him to Jackson and Preston, both of whom stood. Noah stood as well, then reached over and shook Ashton’s hand. “Great to see you again.”
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Ashton said. And although it didn’t make any sense, Damien thought he heard an undercurrent of irritation in the younger man’s voice.
Troy had followed them in, and now offered the men coffee or juice. Ashton took a coffee with cream, sipped it, then he met Damien’s eyes and said, “Well, what’s your pitch?”
Damien saw Troy’s brows rise from where he stood behind Ashton. He kept a tight rein on his own expression, but was equally amused. “To be honest, I expected you to tell me a bit about your system. But,” he added, as Troy exited the room, “I’m happy to do this your way.”
He leaned back, ready to enjoy a conversation about the tech. “From what I understand, you’ve come up with a system to harness atmospheric energy and store it in battery systems that can be recharged on the go. You’ve had some success, but the charging process takes too long. The cars need a gasoline backup or, ideally, improved technology that allows the cells to recharge in transit at a much faster rate.”
“So far so good, Mr. Stark. I’m glad to see you’ve done your homework.”
“I always do my homework,” Damien said. “And what I see is a product that has significant potential. I won’t play games with you. We’d like the chance to work with you on this. I think that you’ll agree that Stark International, and especially Stark Applied Technology, has the resources to develop and improve your system enough that it would be fair to say that it could be the leading source of green energy by the end of this decade.”
Damien leaned forward. “My understanding is that you’re looking for potential investors, and while I may be biased, I think we would be the best partner for you in this project.”
Ashton nodded slowly. “I’m flattered that you’re so impressed with my work. To be honest, this started as a passion project in my garage. I never expected it to explode the way it has, but I’m glad that it did.”
“You clearly had the skills to make it happen,” Noah said. “Talent can go a long way. Money for R and D can take you further.”
“I don’t disagree,” Ashton said. “And I should point out that I’m serious when I describe this as a passion project. The tech is something that means a lot to me, and I’m very protective of it. I’m only going to work with the right partner. It’s not a question of rushing this to market.”
“I understand,” Damien said. “I suggest you give us the opportunity to take a closer look, obviously with non-disclosures in place. Let us see if what you’ve got so far is something that we can get behind as an investor or partner. Or possibly a full acquisition of the tech with you coming on board to manage its development and entry into the marketplace. What you’ve come up with is very exciting. We’d like to help you make the most of it.”
Damien watched Ashton as he spoke, but could read nothing on the younger man’s face, a fact that lifted the man in his estimation. Few in the business world had sufficient control not to show their hand.
Ashton took a sip of his coffee before finally responding. “I’m flattered, Mr. Stark, but I’m not surprised.”
“No?”
“As I told Noah, I thought this would be up your alley. You have a reputation for working with cutting edge technology in a variety of fields. Stark International is a powerhouse, and while I imagine you have people clamoring at the doors trying to get your attention, you also know quality and innovation when you see it.”
Damien grinned. “I’d say that’s a fair assessment.”
“But here’s the thing, Mr. Stark.” He paused, then leaned forward in his chair. “No.”
Damien sat back, thrown by the unexpected response. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. My answer is no.”
“I see.” Damien glanced at Jackson, who looked as baffled as he felt. “I’d be very interested in knowing why we had this meeting if my proposal doesn’t interest you. Or do you just not like the coffee I served?”
“It was good coffee. The cream was great, too. Heavy cream. Lots of places only have those little plastic cups. Or that powdered crap. No, you know how to treat a guest right, Mr. Stark. Other than that, though….”
Ashton shrugged. “Well, you’re a man who puts a good face out there for the world, but that’s not who you are at the core, is it?”
Damien stiffened, his eyes focused on this man, who seemed to have grown horns right in front of him. “Do you have a personal grudge against me, Mr. Stone?”
Ashton looked straight at Damien. “You know exactly what I have against you, Mr. Stark. So don’t think you can play games with me. I know everything. Every. Fucking. Thing.”
“I see,” Damien said, though he didn’t see at all. “Then can you tell me why this meeting was even necessary?”
Ashton shrugged. “You’re a man who gets what he wants. You always have been. Your tennis trophies. Your pretty wife. Your beautiful house, gorgeous kids, and all your pretty, pretty properties.” He sat back, then cracked his fingers. “That’s all fine. They’re yours. Keep them. Enjoy them. But there are two things you won’t have. My technology and me.”
A cold fury had been swirling through Damien, as the pieces started to fall into place. “Were the notes not enough?” he asked, his voice low and harsh and dangerous.
He saw Jackson’s eyes widen, and Noah’s and Preston’s confused expressions. “The threats? You decided that you had to come here in person? Is this the end game or are we only just beginning?”