Chapter 6

"Buy this building," Jarrod commanded into the phone, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "You have five minutes."

He hung up the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He kept his arm wrapped securely around Kassie's waist, watching the two people across from him with the detached interest of a predator watching its prey.

Liam stared at him for a second before bursting into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"You're insane!" Liam yelled, pointing at Jarrod. "You watch too many Hollywood movies, buddy. You can't just buy a Manhattan high-rise in five minutes!"

Janiyah Alford giggled, leaning against Liam. "It's so pathetic. He's trying so hard."

Kassie's heart was hammering against her ribs. She reached up and nervously tugged at the sleeve of Jarrod's suit jacket. She was terrified this was going to escalate into a physical fight.

Jarrod felt her trembling fingers. He reached down, covering her small hand with his large, warm palm, giving it a firm squeeze. Watch, his silence commanded.

The minutes ticked by. The cafe remained dead silent. Liam smirked, pulling out his phone to call the building security.

Right as the fifth minute ended, a deafening roar of heavy engines shattered the quiet street outside.

Four massive, armored black Maybachs aggressively swerved onto the curb, completely blocking the street in front of the cafe.

Liam and Janiyah Alford's smiles vanished instantly. They stared out the window in absolute horror.

Over a dozen massive men in black suits, wearing earpieces, poured out of the vehicles. They moved with military precision, securing the perimeter.

Two bodyguards marched up to the cafe and shoved the heavy glass doors open, holding them wide.

A man in a sharp navy suit-Alex Kent, Jarrod's chief of staff-walked briskly into the room. He carried a leather folder tucked under his arm.

Alex completely ignored Liam and Janiyah Alford. He walked straight up to Jarrod and bowed deeply.

"Mr. Holt," Alex said, his voice echoing in the dead silent room. He held out the folder with both hands. "The deed has been transferred. The building is now legally yours."

Liam's knees literally buckled. He grabbed the edge of the table to stop himself from collapsing onto the floor.

He worked on Wall Street. He knew exactly what the name 'Holt' meant. It was the apex predator of the financial world. The Holt family could bankrupt his entire investment firm with a single phone call.

Janiyah Alford's face turned the color of ash. Her hands shook so violently that her limited-edition Birkin bag slipped from her fingers and crashed onto the floor.

Jarrod didn't even look at the folder. He raised his hand and pointed casually toward the VIP lounge area where Liam and Janiyah Alford had been sitting.

"The decor offends me," Jarrod said to Alex, his tone bored. "Smash it."

Alex didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. He turned and gave a sharp hand signal to the bodyguards waiting by the door.

The men flooded into the cafe. They pulled heavy steel batons from their belts.

CRASH.

A bodyguard swung his baton, shattering a massive crystal chandelier into a thousand pieces. Another man drove his boot into the Italian leather sofa, ripping the material to shreds. Glass shattered. Wood splintered.

Janiyah Alford screamed in pure terror, covering her ears.

Liam fell to his knees, his mouth opening and closing like a dying fish as he watched the space he had just bragged about buying get violently, systematically destroyed.

Jarrod pulled Kassie firmly against his chest. He raised his large hands and covered her ears, shielding her from the deafening noise and the flying shards of glass.

When the destruction was complete, the cafe looked like a war zone.

Jarrod slowly walked over to where Liam was cowering on the floor. He looked down at the pathetic man.

"Tomorrow morning," Jarrod stated, his voice slicing through the dust-filled air, "your firm will fire you to prevent Holt Enterprises from pulling our accounts. You are finished."

Jarrod turned away. He wrapped his arm around Kassie's completely paralyzed body and guided her through the wreckage, walking out the door and into the waiting Maybach.