by
Since being thrown out of his home by his parents, Caden has been struggling to survive on the streets.
He lives in constant fear, stresses over his next meal, and dreads trying to find a safe place to sleep at night. He eventually finds an unlocked car and settles in to sleep, but is soon interrupted when someone steals the car. With little choice but to ride along, Caden soon learns that first impressions aren’t always correct.
Seventeen-year-old Damario has been raising his little brother and sister by himself since his parents were deported. He never knew how hard it was going to be paying the bills and making sure there was always food on the table. Or how hard it would be to hold his family together when they all depended on him to do it. He finds himself stealing cars to make ends meet, but he never expected to find someone sleeping in the back of one of them. And he really didn’t expect this stowaway to change his life.
When Damario brings Caden home, it was supposed to be just for a shower and a hot meal, but he can hardly kick him out onto the streets again. There is no way he could have seen that by saving Caden that night, he was also saving himself. When Damario’s world starts to fall apart, they both realize that the answer to all of their problems is helping each other, and although the world tries to drive them apart, they really are better together.
- 3 To Be Read lists
- 1 Read list
Publisher: Independently Published
Editors:
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 2
Romantic Content: 3
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: Under 18
Protagonist 2 Age: Under 18
Tropes: Families/Raising Kids, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, InstaLove / Love at First Sight, Love Can Heal / Redemption
Word Count: 92278
Setting: California
Languages Available: English
“Hey! What are you doing?”
In the backseat and covered with various pieces of clothing was the most beautiful boy I had ever laid eyes on. His light-blond hair and deep-blue eyes drew me in, and for half a second, I forgot that I was the one in charge here. After all, I was the one in the middle of stealing this very car.
Wait, is he the owner? My eyes darted around the car trying to make some sense of why he would be sleeping in the backseat. Then I noticed how grimy his skin was and how thin he seemed. He couldn’t have been much older than me, but he wore those few years like a lead blanket. The look in his eyes said it all: fear, defeat, and sadness.
“I thought this was my car,” I lied.
He stared back at me like a deer in headlights. “Do you always break into your own car?”
READ MORENeither of us said anything as we sized each other up. I kept my keyless entry tools handy just in case he decided to try something. He didn’t. Instead, he slumped back into the seat and continued to stare at me.
“What do you want?” he finally asked.
COLLAPSE
