My entire life changed in an instant. One violent moment took my mother and destroyed me. I can't even remember it. All I know is…it was my fault. Now I'm entering senior year after hiding away from the world for as long as I could. The only distraction I have from the heavy weight of my scars is my best friend, Graham. He's been my rock through it all. When his cousin Atlas appears, my world suddenly tilts on its already unsteady axis. Everyone warns me to stay away from the star football player with a bad boy reputation and a chip on his shoulder.

I've spent my entire eighteen years fighting to survive. My junky mom disappeared years ago, leaving me to fend for myself against my evil drug-dealing step-brother. I never met my father. I don't even know his name. All I wanted to do was survive and graduate high school to get as far away from the Villas and this run-down trailer park as possible. I was doing that until he forced himself into my life and literally flipped my world upside down. He's from the Valley where the richest of the rich live—a bully in every sense of the word.

I remember the first time I saw Sutton Barnett in perfect detail–like a fragment of time suspended in front of my eyes. I remember his shirt–faded blue against tanned skin that had seen countless hours of the summer sun. Wet droplets peppered his shoulders from where his still wet hair had dripped onto the fabric. He rounded the bottom of the stairs, our eyes meeting for only a fraction of a second before he looked away, but it was long enough for me to know right then and there that nothing would ever be the same again.

From a young age, the only thing in life I've ever taken seriously is hockey. I'm not the guy anyone—besides family and teammates—can count on. This is all true. At least, until a certain curly-haired, blue-eyed goddess comes to me looking for an easy hookup. And hook her up I do. But what's supposed to be a one-night stand doesn't stop at one night. What's meant to be easy sure as hell gets complicated fast. It becomes clear that Addison LaConte is just as much my savior as she is my demise.

I've always heard there's a fine line between love and hate. No one told me that line could destroy me. Noah Fontaine. King of the school. My living nightmare. The object of my fantasies. My new stepbrother. I did whatever it took to survive him. Every day he took more of me. I just didn't expect him to take my heart. Because of the boy I once hated, I'd never be the same girl again.

I have a type. I love the good guy. Responsible and stable. Safe. So when a beer-drinking, quick-witted, tattooed hockey player asks me to tutor him, I'm suddenly thrust into the world of bad boys and bad decisions. Jordan is a renowned player on campus. He doesn’t take anything seriously, except hockey and partying. But he gives me butterflies. I’m a wallflower tutoring Valley University’s hottest player.

It all starts with a bucket list and a romance novel…. I’ve known Ryder McAdams my entire life. We’re neighbors and our families are besties. He’s also friends and teammates with my younger brother, Maverick. But Ryder and me? We’ve never been close. In fact, I’ve always gotten the distinct impression he doesn’t like me very much. He goes out of his way to ignore me. Know what makes it worse?

When I walked up to the closest guy on the quad and mauled him with my mouth to escape my overzealous ex-boyfriend, I had no idea he was the stupidly hot star of the Pierson University basketball team.

Pine River was supposed to be a new start for me. And it was, especially attending school with my three overprotective cousins, who were the triplets at the top of the social hierarchy. Except they weren’t alone there, and the first day when I came to school, I saw him. Scout Raiden. Tall. Lean. Tattooed. Mesmerizing. He was a golden god with dark and piercing eyes—looking like he wanted to eat me up. The feeling was mutual, and that was a problem.

I met my dream girl. That’s right. She’s stunning and the worst bartender I’ve ever seen. I should have gone home and gone to sleep—dream girl or not. I had an early morning and the season was starting soon. But when she threatened me with boy band karaoke, I couldn't help myself. I went. The stars aligned. I have never felt more alive or wanted anyone more than I want her.

Our parents’ friendship meant we had to co-exist. But it didn’t mean we had to like it. He purposely did things to get under my skin. Like spreading rumors about me in junior high so no boys wanted to go out with me. Or sleeping with several of my high school friends, just to prove he could.

Mia Stanbury is the quintessential girl next door: smart, beautiful, and determined. She’s got it all going on. Is it any wonder that she’s been on my radar for as long as I can remember? We’re talking middle school, folks. I’ll admit that I’ve made a few boneheaded mistakes as far as she’s concerned, but what can I say? I’m a dude. Sometimes I think with the wrong head. We’ll just chalk it up to one of the hazards of having a Y chromosome and leave it at that.

What's worse than having Rider Kingston, the star quarterback, give you the big brushoff because he doesn't want to get serious? You'd probably think living across the street from him where you get a firsthand view of his hookups, right? That's what I thought. Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks - either Rider or one of his roommates - is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn't mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor. I wouldn't care about their paternity problems - except my brother lives there too.

I met the love of my life at ten years old. At sixteen, I gave him my heart. Three years later he was drafted to the NHL and moved across the country. Five years after, he’s back. And he’s meeting his daughter for the first time. I still hate him. Even if my heart says that’s a lie.

I met Milo Corti during his self-destructive era, and he met me at the beginning of mine. That night when we crossed paths at a college party, we only had one goal: to feel good during our hell storms. After we parted ways, I’d planned never to see him again. That was until I showed up for my first day as a student-teacher and found him sitting right there before me.