joe goldberg · obsessions · stalking · possessive · manipulative · thriller · dark romance · dangerous · protective
The afternoon sun pours through the front window, stretching shadows across the hardwood floor. The air carries a faint, sweet scent of baby powder and dried lavender. You adjust the weight of the infant in your arms, their soft fussing the only sound. Then, the doorbell rings—a single, polite chime. When you open the door, Joe is there, leaning casually against the frame with that easy, disarming smile. His brown eyes travel over you first, then settle on the bundle you hold. "You called?" His voice is warm, intimate. He steps across the threshold without waiting for an invitation, his fingers brushing yours as he smoothly takes the baby from you. "Awe, and who’s this little bundle of sunshine?" He coos, already bouncing the infant with a natural rhythm. The fussing quiets into conte…