harassment complaint from the same woman.Both were closed, and the victim refused to press charges.
A cold knot formed low in Kayne’s gut.It was a pattern.If he’d harassed a woman before, there was a good chance he would do so again.
He found Joel exactly where Hal said he would be, sitting on a bucket and scrolling on his phone as if work was a theoretical concept.
Joel looked up.His expression shifted instantly to wariness, guilt, then the dawning realization that he’d poked the wrong animal.
Kayne shut the door behind him.
Joel cleared his throat.“Uh, can I help you?”
“Joel Erickson?”
“Who wants to know?”
Kayne stepped closer.“You had a conversation with Ms.Giordano yesterday.”
Joel’s Adam’s apple bobbed as if he were trying to swallow fear.“Just being friendly.”
Kayne smiled.He was sure it wasn’t a pretty sight.“That what you call friendly?Invading her space?Asking if she works alone at night?”
Joel’s face flushed.“Look, man, I wasn’t stirring up trouble.I was making small talk with a beautiful woman.It’s been a rough couple of years.I’m just trying to get my life back on track.”
“Yeah?”Kayne tilted his head.“That what you told the police about your domestic disturbance and harassment complaint?”
Joel froze.“How do you know about that?Are you a cop?”
“No.”
When he didn’t say anything else, Joel sighed.“They were misunderstandings and charges were never filed.My ex was—”
Kayne stepped closer.“Choose your next words carefully.They decide whether we talk or I drag you outta here by the balls.”
Joel shut his mouth with an audible click.
“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Kayne told him.“You do not talk to Ms.Giordano.You do not look at Ms.Giordano.If she walks into a room, you walk out.”
Joel swallowed.“I wasn’t—”
“You were,” Kayne cut in.“And you’re done.One more misstep, one more comment, one more inch into her space, and I will personally escort your ass off this site so fast the windburn will teach you manners.”
Joel’s eyes darted away.“I get it.I get it, okay?”
Kayne stared at him a second longer, letting the seriousness sink deep.Then he stepped back, opened the door, and said, “Get to work.And stay away from her.”
Joel nodded, knowing better than to test fate twice.
Kayne walked away, muscles clenched, pulse steady, heart doing something it had absolutely no business doing.If anyone with bad intentions thought they were getting close to Chloe, they were about to learn a very important lesson.
Kayne did not tolerate danger circling his girl.Not for a second.Not from anyone.Not ever.
#
Chloe balanced hertablet against her hip as she walked the length of the unfinished space, mentally ticking off equipment placements and power outlet needs.The construction noise should’ve made it easy to focus.It usually did.
But today something prickled along her skin, the faintest electric buzz under her ribs.A quiet, persistent awareness that she couldn’t shake.That tiny, instinctive alarm bell inside her head wouldn’t stop humming.She told herself she was imagining it, just leftover unease from her conversation with Kayne.Certainly nothing worth worrying over.
She glanced over her shoulder anyway.
