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Without Falling Apart
A military stalker romance with a dash of comedy and a heaping pile of mental manipulation.
"What would have happened if someone had broken in here tonight? What would you have done?"
"What would I have done? I would have protected you. That's what I would have done."
After healing from my broken arm, seeing my now-ex-boyfriend sent to prison for a few years for causing the break, and moving halfway across the country to settle in the same town as my brother's military base, I was ready to just relax and live a calm, casual life for a while. But after meeting Derrick, one of my brother's subordinates, and developing a connection with him like I've never felt before, I realize that maybe a calm, casual life just isn't in the books for me yet.
"I need her safe from the dangers that she can't see. That she doesn't notice."
From the first time I saw her, I knew that I had to have her. She's so effortlessly beautiful... and so blissfully unaware of dangers that lurk around her at all times. It's sweet that she can live so comfortably, even if I don't understand it. But that leaves her open to getting hurt, or worse. I'll gladly fill that cavity. I'll do anything to keep her safe. And if that means invading her space with hidden cameras placed around her apartment... well it's for her own good.
"Now that we've properly introduced ourselves, can I get back to psychoanalyzing you?"
Derrick can try to convince Clara that she's in danger and needs his help and protection all he likes, but when danger actually arises and risks harming her at a visceral level, Derrick realizes that it's not just the dangers that he sees surrounding Clara that risk him being able to keep her forever, it's the ones that he can't see that may take her away forever that he needs to worry about.
"In my defense, it's not like I'm stalking you or anything. And if I were stalking you, I doubt I'd be bringing you coffee and chatting about your work schedule so casually."
This book contains themes and scenes that may be disturbing to some readers. Please check the content warning page at the beginning of the book.
stalker
military
obsession
kink friendly
spy cameras
controlling MMC
manipulative MMC
predator/prey
protector
"What would have happened if someone had broken in here tonight? What would you have done?"
"What would I have done? I would have protected you. That's what I would have done."
After healing from my broken arm, seeing my now-ex-boyfriend sent to prison for a few years for causing the break, and moving halfway across the country to settle in the same town as my brother's military base, I was ready to just relax and live a calm, casual life for a while. But after meeting Derrick, one of my brother's subordinates, and developing a connection with him like I've never felt before, I realize that maybe a calm, casual life just isn't in the books for me yet.
"I need her safe from the dangers that she can't see. That she doesn't notice."
From the first time I saw her, I knew that I had to have her. She's so effortlessly beautiful... and so blissfully unaware of dangers that lurk around her at all times. It's sweet that she can live so comfortably, even if I don't understand it. But that leaves her open to getting hurt, or worse. I'll gladly fill that cavity. I'll do anything to keep her safe. And if that means invading her space with hidden cameras placed around her apartment... well it's for her own good.
"Now that we've properly introduced ourselves, can I get back to psychoanalyzing you?"
Derrick can try to convince Clara that she's in danger and needs his help and protection all he likes, but when danger actually arises and risks harming her at a visceral level, Derrick realizes that it's not just the dangers that he sees surrounding Clara that risk him being able to keep her forever, it's the ones that he can't see that may take her away forever that he needs to worry about.
"In my defense, it's not like I'm stalking you or anything. And if I were stalking you, I doubt I'd be bringing you coffee and chatting about your work schedule so casually."
This book contains themes and scenes that may be disturbing to some readers. Please check the content warning page at the beginning of the book.
stalker
military
obsession
kink friendly
spy cameras
controlling MMC
manipulative MMC
predator/prey
protector
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2025
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Carlson
12 books6 followersA. R. Carlson is a work-from-home mom of some fantastic sons (though she's biased in that) and has loved writing fiction since she was just learning to read. On a good day, she'll be found scribbling down some random story idea, with her nose in a book, or cleaning up after her kids (that happens a lot).
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