Chapter 271

Hearing that, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thank God, Hayden wasn't going to do anything reckless.

"Yeah, could you please see him out?" I said, turning away. As I walked off, it struck me—I had no idea what his job was here. But judging by his demeanor, he seemed like some kind of engineer or something.

Brad, completely unfazed by Hayden's presence, continued his sleazy act. "Keira, I'm looking forward to seeing you this weekend. You're the best gift I could ask for."

Before I could process his words, Hayden brushed past me and confronted him. "It's time for you to go," he said firmly.

Brad didn't flinch, simply grinning at me as if Hayden hadn't spoken. "Keira, I'll wait for you after work. Let's grab lunch, okay?"

I froze, wanting to wipe that smug look off his face. But before I could react, Hayden's voice cut through the air, ice-cold. "Get out."

Brad, still cocky, sneered, "Who the hell are you? Why should I leave just because you say—"

Hayden took a step closer, his tone deadly calm. "I'm the one telling you to back off and leave her alone."

I glanced at Hayden. The hard lines of his face, an intensity I'd never seen before, made my stomach flip.

Brad blinked, momentarily caught off guard, then laughed. "What's your deal, old man? Are you seriously trying to compete with me for Keira?"

I nearly choked. Was this guy insane? He was practically begging for trouble.

I shot a worried look at Hayden. Men probably hated being called old as much as women did, right?

Ignoring the warning signs, Brad continued. "Come on, dude, you're almost out of her age bracket. You might have the desire, but do you even have the stamina?" He wiggled his hips suggestively, making his meaning abundantly clear.

Images of Hayden's stamina last night flooded my mind, and I swallowed hard. Oh, he definitely had the stamina—more than this little punk could ever imagine.

Hayden took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "Whether I have the stamina or not is none of your business. But right now, you can either walk out, or I'll help you."

Brad scoffed, about to hurl another insult, but before he could speak, he yelped in pain. Hayden had him by the back of his neck, dragging him toward the door. Brad squirmed and yelped like a child, his face contorted in agony.

It truly took a real man to handle such a nuisance.

By the time Hayden ejected Brad, two security guards were already there, ready to prevent his return.

That's when it hit me: Hayden hadn't merely been passing by the meeting room—he'd come specifically to deal with Brad.

Boyfriend goals, right there. I was witnessing it firsthand.

Being protected like this felt incredibly good.

Brad's whining had already gathered a crowd. And with one swift move, Hayden had all the women in the office swooning.

Great. Day one, and he's already winning everyone over. What will it be like once he's truly settled in?

I pressed my lips together, moving closer as the security guards dragged Brad away. "Damn, old man, I didn't know you were this tough."

Hayden's Adam's apple bobbed as he turned to me, his eyes piercing mine. That look sent my heart racing for all the wrong reasons.

I screamed internally, "Oh crap, he's not planning something right here, is he?"

I took a step back, ready to flee, but his voice stopped me. "Ms. Kay, please come to my office."