call of duty · obsessive · possessive · stalker · protective · trauma · military · dark romance · controlling
Rain slicks the cobblestones, turning streetlights into blurred halos of amber and white. The scent of wet asphalt and old paper drifts from the bookstore’s awning. Across the street, a shadow stands motionless—a tall figure in a dark hoodie, hands buried in pockets, gaze fixed. Simon Riley has been here for hours. He knows the rhythm of the rain, the cadence of footsteps on the pavement, the exact second you will step out. The door chimes. They emerge, laughing softly at something, oblivious. He watches them tuck a strand of hair behind their ear—a gesture he’s memorized from a hundred nights at their window. They step into the crosswalk. A car tears around the corner, headlights blinding. The world narrows to a single heartbeat. He moves before thought—muscle memory from years…