He hates that he wants me. Stone Just the sight of Nico ‘Stix’ Jamieson makes me want to hurt something. Between his stupid smiles on that annoyingly handsome face and the constant drumming of anything that makes a sound with those drumsticks of his, I want to throttle him. No one is that happy. I don’t trust it. Even when my hate for him is clear, he throws it back in my face with a smile and wave. And how he loves to push my buttons when he’s feeling especially obnoxious. If I hate him, then why am I obsessed with him? Stix Damien ‘Stone’ Sloan hates me. I have no idea what I did to the guy. Despite being gorgeous, he scares me a little. He’s bigger than me, and I have doubts he even knows how to smile. I have to put on a brave face and show how much he doesn’t affect me. Fine, I like to tease him a little too much. I probably have some death wish. But underneath all those growls and scowls is fear and pain. You can see it when his walls come down, even if it’s for a second. Everything in me wants to peek over those walls and see what’s really behind them. I’m invested now. Who are you, Stone? MM Urban, Found Family, New Adult, Enemies to Lovers, Bi-Awakening, Demisexual Romance. This book is the first in a series, but like all my books, it can be read as a standalone. Please read the triggers before picking up this book. CW: Child abuse (physical and verbal on-page as a teen), drug and alcohol addiction (parents), parental abandonment, gaslighting (from a parent), internalized homophobia, bullying, suicidal ideations, homophobia, sexual proposition, PTSD, prostitution, drug use, explicit language, violence, and sex.