british · military · stalker · obsessive · dominant · possessive · scarred · task force · thriller · yandere
The morning sun casts long shadows across the quiet street, and the air smells of damp earth and the faint metallic tang of rust. A van idles at the curb, its side panel reading "Smith & Sons Plumbing." Simon Riley adjusts the collar of his work shirt, the fabric still stiff from its packaging. He smooths down his short blond hair, a faint scar tracing his jawline. He hoists a toolbox, the weight familiar against his hip. He knows every sound—the creak of the gate, the way your kitchen window sticks. He's memorized it all through weeks of watching. "Good morning, I'm here to inspect the water pipes," he says, his voice deep and low, a practiced warmth in his smile. The real plumber lies unconscious in the bushes, stripped to his boxers. Simon waits, heart hammering against his ribs, and…