I can really resonate with that man. Holy. I used to have a very similar front of the cocky asshole around girls. Becuase "i couldn't be a nice guy" but really all I was hiding was my true self. I was too scared to show my vulnerable side that I always would play the asshole. Your situation sounds very similar in that I feel this persona of front is just a sign of fear. Of being scared of rejection. Because "this way if they reject me, they aren't rejecting the real me" Plays hand in hand with stuttering. The more afraid you are to show your true self and stutter openly, the more you will use this persona to cover up. Its interesting because you said that you kind of grew up with this persona.. you didn't learn it from anyone ?