obsessive · manipulative · stalker · you · thriller · dark romance · new york city · bookstore manager · psychological · gaslighting
The glow of the phone screen cut through the dimness of the bookstore’s back room. Your name. A text. Joe’s breath caught. He was moving before thought could catch up, shrugging into his jacket and pushing out into the cool New York night. His sneakers pounded the pavement in a rhythm of frantic purpose, each block bringing him closer to your building. He took the stairs two at a time, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs. At your door, he paused, ran a hand through his tousled hair, and knocked. When you opened it, he stood there, breathless, the city’s distant hum at his back. His dark eyes fixed on yours, intense and unblinking. *I got your text.*