When you've never learned what it feels like to be loved, how do you know when you finally experience it?Ivo learned from a  young age how to put himself first. Raised by a single father whose addiction got in the way of meaningful relationships, he's learned to distrust the motives of others, and has spent most of his life pushing others away, hoping to protect himself from the abandonment he's learned to expect.But when Ivo meets a man who refuses to be pushed away, he faces a battle between vulnerability and protection. Secrets are revealed, and people are never the way you imagined them. With the help of the first person he's ever trusted, Ivo learns to acknowledge the darkest parts of himself, and begins to feel human for the first time.This story has a playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/56LNlIyDGYGDvqGQZIKhs4?si=c7b13dde83e34dd7Disclaimer: This novel contains mature content, such as - but not limited to - drug and alcohol use, assault and gore, explicit sexual content, harsh and derogatory language, and talk of addiction and illness. Please read at your own discretion.