Stay Close Harlan Coben Summary Novels & Stories

*It was never supposed to be love… yet my heart chose you anyway.* Viren Rai doesn’t give his heart away. A powerful CEO and the only heir to Rai Bahadur’s empire, he is known for his cold decisions and untouchable charm. Love is a distraction he cannot afford—and a risk he refuses to take. Priya Sharma has never had the privilege of choice. Burdened by her father’s failing health and her family’s endless financial struggles, she is fighting a battle she cannot win alone. Strong yet vulnerable, she hides her pain behind quiet determination. Until Viren steps in with an offer that changes everything. **A contract marriage. One year. No emotions. No strings attached.** In return, he will take care of her problems. It was supposed to be simple. But somewhere between shared silences, unspoken care, and stolen glances, something shifts. The distance between them begins to fade… and hearts that were meant to stay guarded start to feel. He begins to protect her. She begins to trust him. And neither of them realizes when the contract turns into something real. But every deal has an ending. As their one year comes to a close, reality forces them apart. Pride, fear, and unspoken love stand between them. When the truth finally surfaces— will they walk away from each other… or admit what they’ve been denying all along? Because sometimes, even in a contract… **a heart doesn’t follow the rules.**

The Black Wolf was now standing so close to me. I let out a whimper and started to cry so loud. "Pl…please do… don't eat me” I hiccupped. It looked at me with amusement and fury clear in its golden orbs, which were surrounded by a blue ring. "Why…? Why did you eat him?” I asked Mr. Wolf with a hoarse voice, due to crying. It tilted its head to the side and made some strange noise. Its fur started to vanish and was replaced by tan skin. The wolf started to shift into a human, more like Alexander. I was speechless and he was... whoa! He was naked, like butt naked. ************** What happens when you kill the mate of the world's powerful Alpha in an accident? What if he was out for revenge? What if he would do anything to hurt you? Catherine was met with an accident a year ago, so after her recovery, her parents sent her to Maine to stay with her granny for a change of environment. Many mysteries started to unfold around her, and on top of it, an Alpha was obsessed with making her fall for him. Was he truly in love with her or was it all a facade? Would he fall for her, despite his hatred? Can a werewolf fall in love with a human and that too a human who killed his mate? Join the love story of Alexander and Catherine. [There is no second chance mate in my book]

The Billionaire’s Mute Nanny She doesn’t speak. He doesn’t trust. But in the shadows of power, silence can be the loudest scream. Aurora Quinn has no voice—but she never needed one to survive. On the run from a brutal past and desperate to stay hidden, she accepts a job that seems too good to be true: live-in nanny to the reclusive billionaire, Damien Thorne, and his silent, five-year-old daughter. What Aurora doesn’t know is that Damien isn’t just a man with wealth and secrets—he’s the heir to a powerful and dangerous mafia syndicate, and he’s just as broken and guarded as she is. Damien is used to control. Power. Obedience. But the moment the mute nanny steps into his mansion, everything shifts. Her silence unnerves him. Her beauty tempts him. And her secrets? They could burn his entire empire to the ground. As a dark attraction brews between them, enemies from both their pasts close in. Passion turns into obsession. Lies are unmasked. And when danger kicks down their door, Damien must protect the woman he never planned to fall for… even if it means breaking every rule he’s ever lived by. In a world of crime, betrayal, and forbidden desire, their love could be the ultimate weapon—or the final nail in their coffins. But in the end silence may be the deadliest weapon of all . Dark. Addictive. Unapologetically sexy. The Billionaire’s Mute Nanny will leave you breathless, aching, and begging for more. ⸻

"Limits, Charli. I'm going to f**k you like you've never been f**ked. Tell me now if I've crossed that limit. Tell me now if you don't want this." Words didn't form; instead, I pushed my ass backwards until it brushed against his erection. Sometime during his speech he'd freed it from the confines of his slacks. "Last chance, Charli." "Please." My word was barely audible. He tugged my hair again. "What did you say?" "Please, Nox. I want you. Take me." He didn't need to be sure I was ready. The evidence glistened under the awful fluorescent lights. The sound of the condom package tearing was soon replaced by my whimper as he plunged... *** One Week. No Last Names. No Regrets. Alexandria "Charli" Collins is done playing the perfect Southern heiress. At an exclusive California resort, she meets Nox Demetri—a billionaire as enigmatic as he is irresistible. When he boldly claims her as his "wife" to ward off an unwanted admirer, their explosive chemistry ignites a no-strings affair that quickly spirals beyond either of their control. But Nox is hiding dangerous secrets, and Charli's past won't stay buried. As their week of passion draws to a close, reality comes crashing in. Can a temporary escape survive the real world—or will the truth destroy them both?

Jackson Dalton, my roommate, was a deeply disturbed voyeur. His greatest hobby in life was spying on me. Back in school, he stole my underwear. After we started working, he set his sights on sleeping with the woman I loved, Caitlin Watson. Because we were close, he constantly crossed the line, making crude, sexual remarks about Caitlin, who was a flight attendant. "Those legs are insane. Wonder what it’d feel like to have them on my shoulders." Every time he ran his mouth, Caitlin would throw water in his face and curse him out. "Stay the hell away from me, you freak." For my sake, she never called the police on him, but every time he acted up, she made sure to humiliate him in public. The night I successfully proposed, I bought a new house. Jackson showed up with a full set of appliances as an apology gift. Wearing her diamond ring, Caitlin leaned into my arms, smiling like she was the happiest woman alive. All my friends said I was lucky to have such a beautiful and loyal fiancee, who even put my worst friend in his place. Until I got up in the middle of the night for a drink. I noticed the guest room door was slightly open. When I pushed it open, I saw Caitlin wearing a collar and being led on a leash while crawling on the ground.

I was the perfect wife. The Senator’s daughter. The woman who smiled while her world burned. For three years, I played the part. I ignored the lipstick on my husband’s collar, the late nights, and the cold indifference. I accepted the "open marriage" I never asked for, just to keep the peace. But peace is a lie. And tonight, I’m done playing by the rules. One night of rebellion at the city’s most exclusive underground club was supposed to be my escape. Instead, it was a collision course with the past. The Mercer Brothers. Silas, the ruthless king. Dante, the violent enforcer. Julian, the beautiful psychopath. They were my brother’s best friends. The men who warned me to stay away. The monsters who run this city from the shadows. Six years ago, they told me to run. Tonight, they blocked the exit. I thought the night couldn't get worse—until I went home and found out the truth. My husband didn't just cheat on me. He gambled me away. He owes the Mercers millions, and he just offered me as the collateral. Now, I belong to them. They say they want to protect me. They say they want to ruin me for anyone else. Silas commands. Dante breaks. Julian corrupts. I thought I was walking into a prison, but as the walls close in, I realize the terrifying truth: I’m not the victim in this story. I’m the weapon they’ve been waiting for.

In the depths of her heart, he had always been the love of her life. Arabella's dreams were filled with visions of standing by his side, and her prayers to the moon goddess were fervent, hoping to be chosen as his mate. Upon his request for her to become his Luna, Arabella's joy knew no bounds. Yet, her world crumbled when he unexpectedly selected her foster sister as Luna instead, proposing that Arabella should become his mistress. It left her heart shattered into pieces. Willing to endure anything to stay close to the man she loved, Arabella faced a devastating twist when he unjustly accused her of his father's murder, leading to her imprisonment and a death sentence. Years later, after her rescue, a successful doctor, Arabella returned to the pack. Her mission: to heal one of the ailing triplets she had with the man who once condemned her to death. With a new identity and an unfamiliar face, she embarked on her journey. However, upon her arrival, a shocking revelation left her dumbfounded. Drawing nearer to her foster sister and Rhys, the man who had caused her heartache, an opportunity for revenge emerged. The question now was whether Arabella would act on her desire for revenge, despite her lingering feelings for him, or if she could maintain her hidden identity until her daughter recovered.

He kept her captive time and time again. He gave her enough freedom to protect her in the name of love. She only felt that he was a tyrant, always in charge of her life, her studies, her business, and had to take his punishment every time she made a mistake, which always made her arse hurt for days. She went from trying everything she could to build up her strength to escape, to trying so hard to stay and stay by his side. She couldn't stay away from him anymore.

"I have no more time." was the last thing Brie's brother, Adam, said to her. As he took his last breath as a human, he forced one final smile. With him now trapped as a monster, she was losing time to bring him back. She fought hard to find a cure to save her brother, and possibly humanity, and she realized that the end of the world was close on her tail. Brie fell in love, she lost close ones, she almost lost herself. Can she really save the world?

Beryl and Daryl are excited that they can finally attend University and live together but things complicate when Beryl’s cousin shows up to hide at their residence. The cousin is half-fairy and the three end up growing close while protecting her secret. Things start to complicate when the close trio encounter other Half-Myths and try to navigate between Schoolwork, possible romances and life-threatening situations. A certain group is out to kill her and all others like her. Will Daffodil, the Half-fairy, survive and also continue her romance with a Half-Myth of higher standing than herself?