Within Close Proximity

Falling for the man who is paying you for sex is a dangerous business. Stella Kaye Wyatt is running from an abusive past she'd like to forget. She secures a new identity by working at a brothel to stay hidden. When her once knight-in-shining armor boyfriend becomes what she escaped, she feels responsible for trying to save him at a high cost to herself. Alaric John Carter is an adventure seeker who uses adrenaline highs to forget his own troubled past. When his life crosses paths with Stella's and he's informed of her sexual job, he takes advantage as a paying customer with surprisingly deep pockets. Despite strictly being a business arrangement, real feelings begin to develop between the two. Stella begins to dream of a better life, but will handsome Alaric accept her for who she truly is when he learns the dark truth she's hiding? As Stella's past returns to reclaim her and Alaric's secrets are revealed, the truth will potentially end not only their feelings for each other, but their lives.

**Dez** Dezmond woke in a cold sweat. The ache in his heart was worse than ever before. It had been growing more intense over the past few weeks. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He didn't bother looking in the mirror, he knew what he would see. His face would be white and his eyes haunted with the need to find answers. Dezmond needed to know why he was being tormented in his dreams. He was never supposed to dream again. "I can't take this anymore." said Dezmond gloomily. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **Ruby** Ruby couldn't focus in class, another night of tossing and turning. Seeing the flames consume her house. Hearing the screams as her family slowly died, knowing there was nothing she could do. It had been almost three years since the incident. The day she lost her family in the fire. She was the only one who wasn't in the house. And she relived that horror every night in her dreams. Though recently her nightmares felt different. More like a warning rather than a memory. "Rough night?" whispered Haven. Haven had been friends with Ruby since they were little kids. "Yeah, they started happening again." Ruby whispered back. They never really stopped. "Have you talked to anyone about it? Ruby, you can't keep it a secret forever." This is the same discussion they had just after the incident.

Bilang isang anak ng Diyos ng Kadiliman, alam ni Cassy Aguilar na kailanman ay hinding-hindi niya maabot ang liwanag, na kahit na anong takbo niya ay hindi niya matatagpuan ang sarili na nabababalot ng sinag kundi purong anino at dilim lamang. At iyon ang dahilan kung bakit gustong-gusto niyang makatakas sa tadhanang tila kadenang nagbibigkis sa kanya sa mundo ng kadiliman at kasamaan. Nais niyang makalaya. At ang tanging paraan para mangyari iyon ay ang wakasan ang buhay ng sarili niyang ama, ang Diyos ng Kadiliman. Sakit. Kamatayan. Pagtataksil. Sakripisyo. Pag-ibig. Pakikipagsapalaran. Lahat ng ito ay naghihintay kay Cassy kasama ang mga taong magiging kasangga niya sa pagkamit ng kalayaang hinahangad niya at ang pagtapos sa buhay ng Diyos ng Kadiliman na matagal nang banta sa kapayapaan ng mamamayan.

Having a bad mental health is really suck. Bianca is suffering depression for almost half of the year, she's an architect but she stopped because of her bad mental health. Sa loob nng kalahating taon ay pinipilit niya ang sarili niyang mabuhay para sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kaniya. One nightmuli niyang sinubukan na tapusin ang buhay niya, sinubukan niyang tumalon sa isang mataas na lugar habang duguan ang kaniyang pulsuhan at sa amba niyang pag talong ay agd siyang nahinto nang may kamay na humawak sa kabila niyang kamay. "I always see you in this place and I always notice that your eyes are always swollen"Ani ng binata at inalalayan si Bianca na bumaba. "This is you before right? Why don't you try to be like this again?"Ani niya. Ipinakita ng binata ng masayang mukha ng dalaga noong nakaraang taon lang. "Slowly Close Your Eyes, and hold my hand"

Blurb A secret baby. A billionaire ex. A Love she swore she would never touch again. Annie's life was already in ruins—shattered by betrayal, rebuilt by pain, held together by sheer will. But just when she finally starts breathing again, the past she buried began to rise. Because someone dangerously close… someone she should have walked away from… is about to step right back into her path. And this time, the storm he brings might be the one she can't survive.

Abigail suffered betrayal by her fiancé and her best friend. They were to have a picturesque cruise wedding, but she discovered them naked in the bed meant for her wedding night. In a fury of anger and a thirst for revenge, she drowned her sorrows in alcohol. The following morning, she awoke in an unfamiliar bed, with her family's sworn enemy beside her.

Janda, tidak ada orang yang mau jadi janda. Setiap orang ingin pernikahannya berhasil, tapi keinginan tidak berjalan sebagaimana mestinya. Dona mengalami itu semua, menikah dengan pria yang suka melakukan kekerasan bahkan pada saat berhubungan intim. Fandi, pria yang sudah seharusnya menikah tapi kenyataan tidak semudah itu. Kepercayaan dengan wanita berkurang setelah wanita yang dicintainya lebih memilih menikahi kakaknya karena hamil. Fandi dan Dona yang mengalami masa lalu sulit bertemu secara tidak sengaja, kejadian demi kejadian membuat mereka dekat. Akankah mereka saling membuka hati satu sama lain?

Sofia had always lived a quiet, peaceful life among humans, unaware of the secrets buried deep within her. That all changed when she accidentally hits a young wolf child on a secluded forest road. The child dies because he had not activated his wolf curse so he was still human. The incident triggered a curse, awakening parts of her she never knew existed. Now imprisoned in the royal pack’s cell, Sofia awaited judgment, fear and guilt gnawing at her. She didn’t know who these people were, but their dominating presence terrified her. The guilt of having killed a child weighed heavily on her, but even more unsettling were the strange changes she began to experience in her body,changes she didn’t understand were leading to her first shift with the coming full moon. “Is she in here?” Alaric, the Alpha King, demanded, his voice cutting through the silence. His anger was palpable as he entered the cell. The guards pointed to where Sofia huddled, trembling in the corner. But when Alaric saw her, his fury dissolved into shock. The fragile woman before him was his.... his mate? The revelation hit him hard, filling him with both anguish and confusion. Sofia, though lost in her fear, felt an inexplicable pull toward this powerful, angry man,which she didn't understand. Alaric’s mind raced. How would his pack react to the news that their Alpha’s mate had killed one of their pups? He faced an agonizing choice: protect Sofia and risk the pack’s wrath or reject his mate to maintain his loyalty. With the full moon fast approaching, his decision would determine not only his leadership but also his bond with his mate.

Sophia Ava Valentine and Noah Parker are in love with each other for over three years. The lovebirds had nothing to worry until Sophia's father arranges her marriage with a ruthless billionaire playboy, Irwin Pierce to seal their business partnership. When Irwin discovers her love with Noah Parker, he makes it his mission to ruin his life and that of Sophia's friends. Sophia accepts his proposal with one condition - Irwin must leave her friends alone. Now, it's up to Noah & her best friends to save her from Irwin and his not so innocent schemes.

Being the heir of the Han Empire means Jordan has to be perfect, flawless, untouchable, and Alpha to the core. But he’s hiding a dangerous secret… He’s an omega. If anyone finds out, he’ll lose everything. So Jordan hides behind a cold mask—sharp suits, sharper words, and a wall no one gets through. Until he shows up. Alaric Wren. Jordan’s fiercest rival. The man who was never supposed to matter. The man who threatens everything just by looking too close. And when Alaric discovers the truth, he doesn’t use it to destroy Jordan. He uses it to get under his skin… and into his bed. Now Jordan’s perfect life is cracking. Because Alaric doesn’t want to expose him. He wants to own him. And Jordan might let him even if it costs him everything.