The story revolves around Joe, a bookstore manager, and his obsession with Beck, an aspiring writer. After meeting Beck, Joe becomes fixated on her and starts stalking her, eventually killing her friend Benji when he discovers their relationship. Joe's obsession with Beck continues, and he kills anyone who gets in his way, including her therapist and a man who was abusing his neighbor.
As the story unfolds, Beck discovers Joe's dark secrets and tries to escape, but Joe catches her and locks her in the basement of his bookstore. Beck tries to trick Joe by writing a story that incriminates her therapist for the murders, but Joe becomes suspicious when he finds a key hidden in her typewriter.
In the end, Joe kills Beck and uses her story to frame her therapist for the murders. The season ends with Joe meeting a new woman, Candace, who is revealed to be his ex-girlfriend who was presumed dead.
Throughout the story, Joe's character is portrayed as a psychopathic stalker who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, including killing anyone who gets in his way. The story raises questions about toxic relationships, obsession, and the blurred lines between love and violence.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The story takes place in New York, where the protagonists, Joe and Beck, live.
2. Joe is a bookstore manager, and Beck is an aspiring writer.
3. Beck gives her name to Joe, and he uses it to find her on social media.
4. Joe discovers Beck's personal life, including her workplace, friends, and home address.
5. Joe starts following Beck everywhere, using a baseball cap to disguise himself.
6. Joe rescues Beck from a subway accident and becomes her "savior."
7. Beck has a friend with benefits named Benji, who Joe decides is not good enough for her.
8. Joe hits Benji on the head and locks him in the bookstore basement.
9. Benji wakes up and tells Joe that he doesn't think he's good for Beck.
10. Benji dies from an allergic reaction to peanut oil.
11. Joe disposes of Benji's body and buries it.
12. Joe and Beck start a relationship, but Beck has secrets, including a living father and a toxic friendship with a friend named Peach.
13. Joe becomes possessive and jealous, and Beck starts to distance herself from him.
14. Joe's neighbor, Paco, is involved with an abusive police officer named Ron.
15. Joe kills Ron to protect Paco and his mother.
16. Beck discovers Joe's dark past and the fact that he killed Benji.
17. Beck tries to escape from Joe, but he catches her and locks her in the bookstore basement.
18. Beck writes a story about the events, but frames the therapist for the murder.
19. Joe lets Beck out of the basement, but she has already discovered his secrets.
20. Beck leaves Joe and writes a story that incriminates the therapist for the murder.
21. A private investigator starts looking for clues about Peach's murder.
22. The season ends with a new woman, Candace, arriving at the bookstore, who is revealed to be Joe's ex-girlfriend who was thought to be dead.