Stay Close Harlan Coben Summary Novels & Stories

The day the campus queen got caught shoplifting at the convenience store, I was reborn. This time, instead of pulling her into the back room for a private talk, I called the cops without a second thought. The cops locked up my childhood sweetheart, the campus goddess Samantha Creighton, for fifteen days. During those fifteen days, I cut every tie between us. After that, I dodged her completely. Whenever she organized a class gathering, I fell deathly ill. Whenever she traveled to the southern coast, I flew to the far northwest. When she went to a reunion, I got sick. When she went home, I went abroad. When she returned to school, I dropped out. I avoided every situation that might bring me near her. In my past life, I loved her for twenty years. But in all that time, she never once treated me with any real kindness. I finally found out why during a fire at our house. I held her and our daughter outside the window, shielding them until rescue came. They got out without a scratch. But my entire body was burned beyond recognition. Then my own daughter—the one I raised with everything I had—pulled her mother's one true love close and said, "He deserves this. Back then, he tore you and Mom apart. He should die for it." My wife stood beside them and sobbed uncontrollably. "I almost thought I'd never see you again." I died full of hatred. Now that I'd been given a second chance… since she loved her first love that much, I'd make sure they could stay together.

WARNING: MATURED CONTENT "Every time you flinch when I get close, it burns me up inside. I’ll prove to you that whatever monster I was before… I’m nothing but yours now." — At twenty-four, Hera was a licensed agriculturist serving her hometown. She walked through life alone, yet found anchor in her father—the provincial governor—even as she remained his secret child. Her world was stitched together by nothing more than trees, earth, and the creatures that roamed the land. Then came the murder that shattered her peaceful existence. She watched in horror as a masked figure committed a brutal killing just steps from her home. The assassin turned to silence her next, but Hera struck first: one desperate swing of her shovel to his skull left him bloodied and still, lost to unconsciousness. Convinced she would be thrown in prison for what she’d done, she called her father. It was in that moment she learned the truth—the man she’d felled was no ordinary stranger. He was a dangerous mafia member. She had fought the mafia. And worse: he would not wake anytime soon. He had slipped into a coma. To escape the wrath of those who would hunt for him, Hera followed her governor-father’s stern command: “Hide him. Keep him alive. Never ask why.” He became her darkest secret—but secrets do not stay hidden forever. A year later, the man opened his eyes with no trace of his past. Fearing he would kill her the moment his memories returned, Hera spun a perilous lie: “I am your wife.” As days bled into months, he craved the warmth of her touch, while she prayed his mind would never piece together what was lost.

On the day of the SAT exam, my girlfriend, Heidi Moore, makes the entire class stay with her and wait for her childhood friend, Jeffrey Price, who's running late. But it's less than an hour before the exam starts. If they keep waiting for Jeffrey, they will definitely miss the exam. In my previous lifetime, I played my part as the class president by advising everyone to take the exam first. But all I received was their scolding. "You're just jealous that Jeffrey and Heidi are extremely close friends! That's why you want to ditch Jeffrey so that he can miss the exam, huh?" I could only stand in the pouring rain while begging my classmates relentlessly. Only then did everyone leave for the exam venue reluctantly. In the end, we were able to arrive at the exam venue one minute before the exam started. But after the exam was over, I was pushed off a building by Jeffrey, which caused my death. However, Heidi and the rest of my classmates gave the police their fake testimonies. "Finley caused Jeffrey to miss the exam. That's why he killed himself out of guilt!" Jeffrey even used the opportunity to sell his sob story and become a popular influencer. Mom tried to seek justice for me, only to get cyberbullied by the Internet users, who were blind to the truth. Dazed and disoriented, she drove off a cliff, and her body was nowhere to be found since then. Only after I died did I realize that this was just a part of Jeffrey's scheme. When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day Heidi tells the entire class to wait for Jeffrey before departing to the exam venue together. In this lifetime, I won't stop my ungrateful classmates from ruining their own lives.

"Why do you always look at me like that?" she whispered. "Because you're unlike anyone I've ever known," Damien replied, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. "Your presence is like a thorn in my side." Eira scoffed. “You're nothing but trouble, Damien. A brooding vampire with an ego the size of a castle. But you need me. Without me, you’ll be dead.” “I hate that," he admitted. She smirked. "Hate that you need me? So, what is it, Damien? A weakness you'd rather keep in the shadows?" Damien leaned in, his face dangerously close to hers, his gaze dropping to her lips. Eira's breath caught, her shock palpable. "I might need you, Eira, but I don’t want you," he said, his eyes betraying a desire he refused to acknowledge. "Remember that." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her thoughts in turmoil and her lips tingling with the ghost of an almost-kiss. *** The Silverstone Pack is out for blood, determined to avenge their alpha's brutal murder. All eyes are on Damien, the prime suspect, who now lives in the shadows, focused on survival. His only goal is to stay one step ahead and keep himself well-fed. But everything changes when he encounters a girl who is mysteriously immune to his powers. In her, he finds a glimmer of hope he thought long lost. Eira, heartbroken from a recent breakup, unexpectedly crosses paths with Damien. Her confrontation with him quickly turns into a nightmare when she is taken captive. Damien, desperate and cornered, offers her a chilling deal: help him save himself, or face unimaginable suffering. With little choice, Eira agrees, setting off a chain of events that will forever change the course of her life.

Tell me this isn't real.” Raid Bennett’s hand tightened around my waist beneath the stadium lights, his mouth hovering dangerously close to mine while the entire school watched us from the parking lot. “It isn't real,” he said quietly. Like he wanted it to be true. Then he kissed me like he wanted Mason Chester to choke on it. Raid Bennett was never supposed to happen. He’s Ashford High’s notorious hockey captain. A reckless troublemaker with bruised knuckles, underground racing habits, and a talent for making bad decisions look attractive. Everything about him screams disaster. Which is exactly why I chose him. Because two weeks earlier, Mason Chester; football captain, golden boy, and my best friend since childhood, humiliated me in front of half the school after I discovered our entire relationship started because of a bet. Six months. That was the challenge- make the nerdy girl fall in love with him. And stupidly? I did.So after the breakup, I walked straight up to Mason’s biggest rival with a deal. I help Raid pass Chemistry so he can stay on the hockey team. He fake dates me long enough to make Mason miserable. Simple. At least… it should have been. But somewhere between late-night tutoring sessions, jealous fights, whispered insults in crowded hallways, and kisses that feel way too real, Raid stops acting like this is pretend at all. The problem is Raid Bennett comes with secrets. Dangerous ones. And the more I fall for him… The more I realize the boy helping me get revenge might be the same one capable of breaking my heart even worse than Mason did

Sofia Jones is a seventeen-year-old human who has never met her father. Her mother is never around because she would rather spend her time at the club than with her daughter. She isn't the most popular girl in school and only has one friend, Ella. Sofia has been in love with her best friend's twin brother since middle school, but she knows they can never be together, not only because he is the most popular boy who has been bullying her since freshman year but also because he is her best friends brother. Ethan Black is the most popular boy in school. He is the Quarterback of the football team, and he can have any girl he wants, except for the one he has been in love with since the fifth grade, Sofia. She is his twin sister's best friend, but that is not the only reason he can't have her. Ethan Black is a werewolf, along with his twin sister and the rest of his family, and Sofia is a human who knows nothing about werewolves. Ethan has been bullying her since freshman year. He feels it is better to push her away than to stay close to her. He knows he will meet his Mate soon since his eighteenth birthday is coming up, but something shocking happens. He discovers that Sofia is his Mate. Now, he is determined to make Sofia his, but will he be able to do that after the way he has been treating her? How will Sofia react when she discovers werewolves and other supernatural beings exist? What happens when the Vampire King takes a liking to Sofia and wants to make her his? Who will Sofia end up with? You will have to read to find out!

Elias cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. “Thank you,” he said. I tilted my head. “No. Not like that.” His brows rose. “Then how…?” Being so close to him, his scent enveloping my senses messed with my brain. My eyes dragged down his naked chest, to his abs and stopped at the V line in his lower abdomen. Just this one time, I was letting my emotions and desires control me. Just this once, I didn't want to care about the consequences. I reached out slowly, took his hand in mine, and guided it up my chest, dragging it down the line of my torso, over warm skin, every inch of contact making his breath hitch. His hand trembled as it followed my guide and I could feel electricity tingling at every inch he touched. I guided his hand lower and lower, his eyes widened when I stopped with his hand on my rock hard cock. With his hand still in mine, I squeezed on my cock and groaned in pleasure. I leaned in, my voice a low whisper against his ear, “Like this.” ************************************* Elias Thorne, a secret Omega who has trained to be a Perfect Alpha, was sent to Mortlach Alpha Academy to solidify his position as the next Alpha of Silverhaven During his time in the school, he only had two orders to follow; stay away from the heirs of the Crescent Pack and make Selena Drake your mate to forge an alliance with her Pack But a simple order became the hardest task for him when Rowan Vale, the Alpha's second son of Crescent Pack was assigned as Elias’s roommate, whose mere presence woke up the part of him that he tries to suppress.

His nose was an inch away from mine. Eyes looked down it with burning intensity. “You are mine, Adelia. And there is nothing in the world that can change that.” He growled, tracing the side of my face with a feather-light touch. I recoiled and swatted his hand away. Wanted to move backward. Out of his proximity but a strong hand settled on my lower back. Pulled me into him. Our eyes met again, letting all of my venom show in them. “You are married, Michael. Married and human! Us being mates doesn't take away from that fact.” I hissed. His blue eyes darkened. Hand flexed on my back. “Then turn me. Make me a wolf and I will be by your side until the world burns.” “Married. That is another obstacle. I won't be a home-wrecker. Never again.” I tried to move away from him. Away from the lurking promise of death and destruction if I gave in to him. Remained in his presence. But his hand twined with my dress. Forced me to stay so deathly close to him. I felt my resolve melt away. “She will understand. How can't she? We were destined to be together by the goddess herself.” He whispered and brushed his lips against my cheek. A shudder ran down my spine. “A goddess that you don't believe in.” Michael pulled away. Smiled cruelly down at me. “The only goddess I believe in is the one right in front of me.” I didn't stop him when his lips crashed into mine. Or when his tongue drifted over my bottom lip. Opened up for him so that he could explore the inside of my mouth. Devoured me whole. Morals be damned, then.

Aurora Hayes, a fifteen-year-old orphan, lives in the of Silver Creek, North Carolina. Raised by her adoptive parents, attending Pine Ridge High School, believing she’s just an ordinary girl. Everything begins to change when Rowan Rivers, a mysterious new student, transfers to Pine Ridge after his previous school burns down. Almost immediately, Rowan senses a connection to Aurora and realizes she’s his mate. The only problem? Aurora is human. To stay close to her, Rowan joins the school’s football team. Zander Blake, the brooding quarterback of there football team, has always made Aurora’s life difficult. But as her sixteenth birthday approaches, his teasing takes a turn. On the day she turns sixteen, Zander is stunned to discover that Aurora is also his mate. With both boys wanting her attention and harboring tension between themselves Aurora is caught in the middle, completely unaware of the supernatural forces surrounding her. That is, until a rogue werewolf attacks the school shatters her perception of reality. Aurora learns that werewolves exist and that she has an unpredictable connection to their world. Yet, despite Rowan and Zander’s certainty about the bond with her, Aurora feels nothing in return. Confused and overwhelmed, she begins to question everything. Her identity unravels when it’s revealed that the magical bracelet she’s worn since birth was enchanted to suppress her true nature. As the spell begins to fade, Aurora starts to uncover secrets about her identity, including the reason she was sent away. Now, with her world turned upside down, Aurora must come to terms with who she is. Torn between two rival mates Rowan, the gentle protector, and Zander, the reformed bully with a complicated heart Aurora must forge her own path and embrace the destiny she never saw coming.

Love and Marriage is what a woman dreams for, but will it be enough to stay with the man that she never thought would be the love of her life? Only time will tell.