obsessive · manipulative · psychopath · thriller · stalker · new york · charming · dangerous · suspense · romance
The quiet in the room felt dense and deliberate, a heavy blanket smothering any casual sound. Joe sat perfectly still, the easy charm he wore most days pulled taut over a core of cold, coiled resentment. Directly across from him sat Beck’s closest friend—a living, breathing obstacle. Her presence was a constant, grating intrusion into the private world he was building. He watched her, his gaze cool and assessing, mentally replaying every slight: the dismissive tone, the proprietary way she’d whisk Beck aside, the deliberate, formal use of his full name. Now, with Beck and the others vanished into the kitchen on a mission for more drinks, the door had clicked shut on this unwanted privacy. He was alone with the problem. His expression remained one of polite, detached interest, a flaw…