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One Chapter A Day - Re-Read Of Bared and Entwined


LN Cronan

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Symptoms of a sociopath

1. Charming

2. Spontaneous and intense

3. Incapable of shame, remorse and guilt

4. Lies about experiences

5. Seeks to dominate and has to win at all costs

6. Highly intelligent

7. Incapable of love

8. Never apologises

9. Delusional and literally believes what they say

Apparently Charles Manson was one.

I don't think Gideon is a sociopath, one or two apply to him, but that can be said of the entire population.

I think Dr Lucas needs to go back to med school.

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Gideons mental health issues came about after his dads death. What the child was suffering was grief. Which takes on different forms of behaviour. This helpless child, who I think witnessed his dad death, needed love and affection.

To label him as having mental health issues is barbaric.

I'm sure his mother is the root of his problems, perhaps she shot Geoffrey. Who knows. O yeah Sylvia does.

 

He was traumatized young. He himself admits he had anger issues as a kid, and what he described as his behavior (physical tantrums) was bad enough that it was causing real trouble (negatively impacting the behavior of a younger sibling.) So yes, Gideon had problems at the threshold separating his childhood from his teens. Problems that could have been helped with proper counseling -- but also that could have been helped by supportive parenting. That alone might have been able to help him adjust without the need for professionals.

 

But he wasn't getting good parenting from his own mother, and probably getting no love at all from his stepfather. The only reason professional help was brought in was for the benefit of the pregnant-and-stressed-out Elizabeth and for the benefit of stopping the bad influence on Christopher Jr. But then the services of the shrink who'd been brought in for Gideon instead got diverted to Elizabeth. Gideon got left alone with a doctoral candidate - and it was either that man or someone else who started sexually abusing  Gideon.

 

So if Dr. Lucas, a young physician at the time, was indeed brought in as one of the pediatricians to refute the claims Gideon was being sexually abused, well by the time Lucas met Gideon, the poor kid would have crossed over the border from troubled to someone with very serious mental health issues at the time. He was traumatized in the worst way possible, and PTSD would have already begun to set in. 

 

That doesn't make Gideon crazy -- or evil -- like Dr. Lucas would like to believe. But by the time he became a teen-ager, Gideon did have a serious mental health history -- very serious traumas inflicted upon him as a child. He was (still is) a very loving soul who had a lot of terrible things happen to him, leaving him scarred in a way that he still struggles with. He knows a part of him is broken. What he's learning is that it's not broken beyond repair. Love -- and real help -- can make all the difference in the world.

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When Detective Graves speaks to Eva at Parkers studio, she starts off by saying "I think your boyfriend killed Nathan Barker." Shouldn't she have said "I think Gideon Cross killed Nathan Barker". Am I being pedantic here? Eva wasn't going out with Gideon anymore, so Graves phrased it wrongly.

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He was traumatized young. He himself admits he had anger issues as a kid, and what he described as his behavior (physical tantrums) was bad enough that it was causing real trouble (negatively impacting the behavior of a younger sibling.) So yes, Gideon had problems at the threshold separating his childhood from his teens. Problems that could have been helped with proper counseling -- but also that could have been helped by supportive parenting. That alone might have been able to help him adjust without the need for professionals.

 

But he wasn't getting good parenting from his own mother, and probably getting no love at all from his stepfather. The only reason professional help was brought in was for the benefit of the pregnant-and-stressed-out Elizabeth and for the benefit of stopping the bad influence on Christopher Jr. But then the services of the shrink who'd been brought in for Gideon instead got diverted to Elizabeth. Gideon got left alone with a doctoral candidate - and it was either that man or someone else who started sexually abusing  Gideon.

 

So if Dr. Lucas, a young physician at the time, was indeed brought in as one of the pediatricians to refute the claims Gideon was being sexually abused, well by the time Lucas met Gideon, the poor kid would have crossed over the border from troubled to someone with very serious mental health issues at the time. He was traumatized in the worst way possible, and PTSD would have already begun to set in. 

 

That doesn't make Gideon crazy -- or evil -- like Dr. Lucas would like to believe. But by the time he became a teen-ager, Gideon did have a serious mental health history -- very serious traumas inflicted upon him as a child. He was (still is) a very loving soul who had a lot of terrible things happen to him, leaving him scarred in a way that he still struggles with. He knows a part of him is broken. What he's learning is that it's not broken beyond repair. Love -- and real help -- can make all the difference in the world.

Admitting he as problems is the first step, which he did by seeing Dr Petersen. Eva's love is the best therapy for him, making him feel wanted, cherished and needed.
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When Detective Graves speaks to Eva at Parkers studio, she starts off by saying "I think your boyfriend killed Nathan Barker." Shouldn't she have said "I think Gideon Cross killed Nathan Barker". Am I being pedantic here? Eva wasn't going out with Gideon anymore, so Graves phrased it wrongly.

 

Oh Graves thought about it carefully, the exact way she wanted to phrase it. "Boyfriend." She very carefully rehearsed her approach with Eva. Later, Graves winged it based upon Eva's reactions -- and ended up screwing up by asking Eva to confirm she was the one who dumped Gideon the Saturday after Nathan died.

 

If Eva's suspicions are right -- and Eva is very intuitive -- then Graves knew that Gideon loved Eva all along, and Gideon never meant to leave Eva. Even after Nathan was dead, Gideon was "seeing" Eva -- he attended a family dinner to meet Eva's father around 24 hours after he killed Nathan.

 

I'll bet Graves was fishing for information on whether Gideon was still seeing Eva. Because any evidence of that would be evidence to be used against Gideon.

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Oh Graves thought about it carefully, the exact way she wanted to phrase it. "Boyfriend." She very carefully rehearsed her approach with Eva. Later, Graves winged it based upon Eva's reactions -- and ended up screwing up by asking Eva to confirm she was the one who dumped Gideon the Saturday after Nathan died.

 

If Eva's suspicions are right -- and Eva is very intuitive -- then Graves knew that Gideon loved Eva all along, and Gideon never meant to leave Eva. Even after Nathan was dead, Gideon was "seeing" Eva -- he attended a family dinner to meet Eva's father around 24 hours after he killed Nathan.

 

I'll bet Graves was fishing for information on whether Gideon was still seeing Eva. Because any evidence of that would be evidence to be used against Gideon.

I'm sitting here re-reading the end of RIY, after listening earlier on. It's amazing what suddenly pops up, even though I've read it umpteen times.

Graves just couldn't help herself. Just pushed to much. ;)

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LN Cronan

One thing that does bother me though is Gideon sneaking into Eva's apartment in the middle of the night, that week he started deliberately hurting her, to try to soothe her by making love to her for hours. Soothe her even though the very next day, he was going to act like she didn't existed in the middle of an important business meeting and then was going to take Corrine to that party, making sure he got photographed looking like he and Corrine were intimate. Gideon, Gideon, Gideon -- still thinking making love to Eva is the cure for her insecurities. What he did that Wednesday night in a way constitutes a so-called "mercy f***" -- slang for having sex with someone fully intending to let them down afterward.

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LN Cronan

One thing that does bother me though is Gideon sneaking into Eva's apartment in the middle of the night, that week he started deliberately hurting her, to try to soothe her by making love to her for hours. Soothe her even though the very next day, he was going to act like she didn't existed in the middle of an important business meeting and then was going to take Corrine to that party, making sure he got photographed looking like he and Corrine were intimate. Gideon, Gideon, Gideon -- still thinking making love to Eva is the cure for her insecurities. What he did that Wednesday night in a way constitutes a so-called "mercy f***" -- slang for having sex with someone fully intending to let them down afterward.

After you mention that night, and how badly he treated Eva. There is a paragraph I love from that night

Tears slid in rivulets down my temples, the protective numbness I'd felt earlier falling away, leaving me exposed. I'd been withering without him, the world around me losing its vibrancy, my body hurting from its separation from his. Having him with me...touching me....was like rain in a drought. My soul unfurled for him, opening wide to soak him in.

I loved him so much.

Oh Gideon? :(

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Just a couple comments after reading posts from today.

 

Dr. Lucas—He knows that he lied about Gideon’s abuse as a child.  Not only does he know about the abuse but he intentionally lied about it.  His lies kept Gideon in the abusive environment which meant the abuse continued for some time.  Like Eva said, Gideon & Anne Lucas were adults and made a consensual decision to enter into an adulterous relationship. 

 

Dr. Lucas knows the reason Gideon struck out at his family but he is unwilling to take any responsibility for his own actions.  Let’s face it for all we know Anne may have wanted to get back at her husband for some reason too.  In my opinion it is easier for Lucas to blame Gideon for his shortcomings than to look inward and take personal inventory.  Generally this type of person is weak and looking for a way to gain power.  I suspect that is why Lucas turned to the reporter.  He is still trying to gain power over Gideon.   If I remember my psychology class (from many years ago) this type of personality is sometimes a predator.  Knowing that fact can shine a different light on the great (or not so great) Dr. Lucas.  Not only that it must drive Lucas crazy that Gideon went from an abused young child to one of the most successful men in the country.  Gideon has real power.

 

Gideon – I know many are upset with the way he treated Eva (I’m one) at the Waldorf but in all fairness Gideon is learning things about relationships that many of us learn as we grow up.  I’m not sure that there was a lot of love in the Vidal household and if there was I suspect that it was withheld from Gideon.  He didn’t have relationships with young girls as a teenager.  His first consensual relationship was with Corrine and, in all honesty, that wasn’t completely healthy or satisfying for either of them. 

 

I think Gideon was trying to do the right thing by Eva. He didn’t want Corrine to hurt her and therefore tried to manage Corrine. I believe that he thought as long as he held Eva’s hand she would understand that he was thinking about her.  Unfortunately he was wrong.  Then to compound the problem, Gideon didn’t share the Nathan issue with Eva and she was completely blindsided by his change in behavior.  I still think his heart was in the right place but he screwed up royally. 

 

Corrine – hate her.  Enough said.

 

Magdalene – I haven’t decided about her yet.  In some ways I think she is on Eva’s side but, then again, I think she was in cahoots with Corrine in the beginning.  I think I have to wait for the next book to see how she shakes out.

 

Det. Graves -- really hate her.  I'm praying she gets demoted back to traffic cop. 

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LN Cronan

One thing that does bother me though is Gideon sneaking into Eva's apartment in the middle of the night, that week he started deliberately hurting her, to try to soothe her by making love to her for hours. Soothe her even though the very next day, he was going to act like she didn't existed in the middle of an important business meeting and then was going to take Corrine to that party, making sure he got photographed looking like he and Corrine were intimate. Gideon, Gideon, Gideon -- still thinking making love to Eva is the cure for her insecurities. What he did that Wednesday night in a way constitutes a so-called "mercy f***" -- slang for having sex with someone fully intending to let them down afterward.

After you mention that night, and how badly he treated Eva. There is a paragraph I love from that night

Tears slid in rivulets down my temples, the protective numbness I'd felt earlier falling away, leaving me exposed. I'd been withering without him, the world around me losing its vibrancy, my body hurting from its separation from his. Having him with me...touching me....was like rain in a drought. My soul unfurled for him, opening wide to soak him in.

I loved him so much.

Oh Gideon? :(

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What's worse about what happened at the Waldorf was it was the second time Gideon stupidly mistreated Eva at a high society event.

 

Eva was numb the first night she appeared in public with Gideon, but she noticed the second time (the Waldorf) that everyone was staring at them -- staring at Gideon the celebrity, obviously.

 

So that whole fiasco at the dinner table, from Eva sitting there miserable to Lucas insulting Gideon in sight of everyone there, would have been noticed. In fact, people would have noticed Gideon dragged Eva out of there just before dinner. They'd naturally assume she and Gideon went somewhere to fight. They'd have seen her leave the dinner alone, walking out on Gideon. The prior week, they'd seen Gideon leave alone, walking out on her.

 

Honestly, in high society circles, Gideon's come across as a total jerk to Eva. No wonder Deanna Johnson believes Gideon was simply using Eva to make Corrine come back.

 

I don't think people knew who the beautiful brunette was, not that night, not unless someone remembered Corrine from society circles. Gideon had been a nobody years ago when he'd been Corrine's boyfriend and then fiance. And she'd just come back to New York that week after having been overseas for many years.

 

Fast forward to the media frenzy later that summer when Gideon started taking Corrine out again. From the get-go, the tabloids knew exactly who she was. It's obvious Gideon made sure the info was leaked. The press had to get it right and get it right away -- Nathan was out there in a postal mood, and too much was riding on leaving to chance that it meant nothing Gideon was sitting with some woman other than Eva at a restaurant on a Monday night.

Do we know for a fact that Corrine and Gideon's relationship took place years ago? Also, do we know when Gideon made it big? He may have been very big in the high society while he was still with Corrine.

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Just a couple comments after reading posts from today.

 

Dr. Lucas—He knows that he lied about Gideon’s abuse as a child.  Not only does he know about the abuse but he intentionally lied about it.  His lies kept Gideon in the abusive environment which meant the abuse continued for some time.  Like Eva said, Gideon & Anne Lucas were adults and made a consensual decision to enter into an adulterous relationship. 

 

Dr. Lucas knows the reason Gideon struck out at his family but he is unwilling to take any responsibility for his own actions.  Let’s face it for all we know Anne may have wanted to get back at her husband for some reason too.  In my opinion it is easier for Lucas to blame Gideon for his shortcomings than to look inward and take personal inventory.  Generally this type of person is weak and looking for a way to gain power.  I suspect that is why Lucas turned to the reporter.  He is still trying to gain power over Gideon.   If I remember my psychology class (from many years ago) this type of personality is sometimes a predator.  Knowing that fact can shine a different light on the great (or not so great) Dr. Lucas.  Not only that it must drive Lucas crazy that Gideon went from an abused young child to one of the most successful men in the country.  Gideon has real power.

 

Gideon – I know many are upset with the way he treated Eva (I’m one) at the Waldorf but in all fairness Gideon is learning things about relationships that many of us learn as we grow up.  I’m not sure that there was a lot of love in the Vidal household and if there was I suspect that it was withheld from Gideon.  He didn’t have relationships with young girls as a teenager.  His first consensual relationship was with Corrine and, in all honesty, that wasn’t completely healthy or satisfying for either of them. 

 

I think Gideon was trying to do the right thing by Eva. He didn’t want Corrine to hurt her and therefore tried to manage Corrine. I believe that he thought as long as he held Eva’s hand she would understand that he was thinking about her.  Unfortunately he was wrong.  Then to compound the problem, Gideon didn’t share the Nathan issue with Eva and she was completely blindsided by his change in behavior.  I still think his heart was in the right place but he screwed up royally. 

 

Corrine – hate her.  Enough said.

 

Magdalene – I haven’t decided about her yet.  In some ways I think she is on Eva’s side but, then again, I think she was in cahoots with Corrine in the beginning.  I think I have to wait for the next book to see how she shakes out.

 

Det. Graves -- really hate her.  I'm praying she gets demoted back to traffic cop.

Totally agree with all of this Sharon especially Dr. Lucas being a predator and being envious of Gideon's REAL power...

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Gideons mental health issues came about after his dads death. What the child was suffering was grief. Which takes on different forms of behaviour. This helpless child, who I think witnessed his dad death, needed love and affection.

To label him as having mental health issues is barbaric.

I'm sure his mother is the root of his problems, perhaps she shot Geoffrey. Who knows. O yeah Sylvia does.

Sylvia definitely needs to be more forthcoming about the details surrounding Geoffrey's death and Elizabeth's reaction to it also... But then again Gideon was only 5 years old at the time so what could he possibly remember ... Not only was Ann having a difficult pregnancy with Ireland but she never probably fully resolved her issues with her first husband's death .After all she rushed right into the new marriage to get a roof over her head. But who could blame her for that - it is what came after I blame her for. Not making her first born feel part of the new family and an outsider in her new life. The abuse is just another tragic part of the story.

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I would just like to thank Gideon for an awful nights sleep!

I lay awake trying to rationalise his behaviour. I tried putting myself in his position. Could I have done any better? Yes and no. Yes we all know he should have put Eva first at both the gala events, cutting Corinne off with a "I will talk to you tomorrow." Eva should have been his sole focus. Their relationship would have blossomed better, with Eva knowing that she was special enough for him to show them off as a couple. She wouldn't have run, triggering old habits.

As for his nightmares, men in general I think find it hard to talk about certain issues. Gideon had kept his private life to himself, telling no one. He had only been going out for a couple of days with Eva, when she witnessed his first nightmare. What man would want to admit to his new girlfriend that he was a rape victim so early on in their relationship. If they had been going out longer as a couple, perhaps when he had learns more about trust and how to be a proper boyfriend (after all he was a virgin at this) he will be more forthcoming. Perhaps he thought he would come across as weak and vulnerable admitting his. He is a proud man but underneath he is still a scared little boy. (I am sitting here crying for this man, how stupid is this) Was he scared she would leave if she knew the truth? Yes. He doesn't understand women, they were a pleasant pass time or friends. None seems close to him, he was a lonely guy, shut off emotionally. This way he wasn't going to get hurt again. He is a deeply flawed young man. His failure to communicate being his biggest flaw.

As for murder, I wouldn't know where to start. To have to cut off your girlfriend, the love of your life, and sole mate to keep up a charade, to protect her, from Nathan going postal and lay the foundations of an alibi, in such a short time. This poor chap must have been out of his mind with worry. So much was out of his control. Everything he did, he did for the right reasons. His judgement on occassion was wrong, but he's human. Life is a learning curve, we all screw up, we learn and move on.

I think we need to cut him a little slack. His heart was in the right place. There were extenuating circumstances.

I shall await your comments. :)

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He*l, when you get a steamy s*x scene with this pair, I've got a big grin, and blushing! Makes the walk to work worthwhile. :)

LOL, try reading it while at work, when we have been quiet when Bared & Reflected came out I would read them at work and OMG when there was a s*x scene my face would go beetroot, I suffer from Rocea anyway so I get away with it at times but oh I do get hot under the collar lol :)

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I have looked for EWY on Itunes to pre-order for the Audio book but it is not listed yet :(

I'm sure it will be there on the 4th June.

Because we don't get our release till the 6th, my daughter is downloading it on her kindle for me on the 4th. Then by the time I'm finished, the book should be here. I'll put it on my iPod so I can listen on the way to work. Then we can digest and dissect here when I get home.

Obsessed or what? Absolutely mad. ;)

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I would just like to thank Gideon for an awful nights sleep!

I lay awake trying to rationalise his behaviour. I tried putting myself in his position. Could I have done any better? Yes and no. Yes we all know he should have put Eva first at both the gala events, cutting Corinne off with a "I will talk to you tomorrow." Eva should have been his sole focus. Their relationship would have blossomed better, with Eva knowing that she was special enough for him to show them off as a couple. She wouldn't have run, triggering old habits.

As for his nightmares, men in general I think find it hard to talk about certain issues. Gideon had kept his private life to himself, telling no one. He had only been going out for a couple of days with Eva, when she witnessed his first nightmare. What man would want to admit to his new girlfriend that he was a rape victim so early on in their relationship. If they had been going out longer as a couple, perhaps when he had learns more about trust and how to be a proper boyfriend (after all he was a virgin at this) he will be more forthcoming. Perhaps he thought he would come across as weak and vulnerable admitting his. He is a proud man but underneath he is still a scared little boy. (I am sitting here crying for this man, how stupid is this) Was he scared she would leave if she knew the truth? Yes. He doesn't understand women, they were a pleasant pass time or friends. None seems close to him, he was a lonely guy, shut off emotionally. This way he wasn't going to get hurt again.

As for murder, I wouldn't know where to start. To have to cut off your girlfriend, the love of your life, and sole mate to keep up a charade, to protect her, from Nathan going postal and lay the foundations of an alibi, in such a short time. This poor chap must have been out of his mind with worry. So much was out of his control. Everything he did, he did for the right reasons. His judgement on occassion was wrong, but he's human. Life is a learning curve, we all screw up, we learn and move on.

I think we need to cut him a little slack. His heart was in the right place. There were extenuating circumstances.

I shall await your comments. :)

I think it just seems a little too "clueless " that he wouldn't think it would disturb Eva to hear that he had a fiancé' he didn't tell her about -he is privy to her past and her demons are known to him unlike his past ... I'm sorry he was simply being an arse!!!

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I'm sure it will be there on the 4th June.

Because we don't get our release till the 6th, my daughter is downloading it on her kindle for me on the 4th. Then by the time I'm finished, the book should be here. I'll put it on my iPod so I can listen on the way to work. Then we can digest and dissect here when I get home.

Obsessed or what? Absolutely mad. ;)

No you can not preorder on ITunes yet but you can on audible.com. I have already done this LN told me about it...

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He was traumatized young. He himself admits he had anger issues as a kid, and what he described as his behavior (physical tantrums) was bad enough that it was causing real trouble (negatively impacting the behavior of a younger sibling.) So yes, Gideon had problems at the threshold separating his childhood from his teens. Problems that could have been helped with proper counseling -- but also that could have been helped by supportive parenting. That alone might have been able to help him adjust without the need for professionals.

 

But he wasn't getting good parenting from his own mother, and probably getting no love at all from his stepfather. The only reason professional help was brought in was for the benefit of the pregnant-and-stressed-out Elizabeth and for the benefit of stopping the bad influence on Christopher Jr. But then the services of the shrink who'd been brought in for Gideon instead got diverted to Elizabeth. Gideon got left alone with a doctoral candidate - and it was either that man or someone else who started sexually abusing  Gideon.

 

So if Dr. Lucas, a young physician at the time, was indeed brought in as one of the pediatricians to refute the claims Gideon was being sexually abused, well by the time Lucas met Gideon, the poor kid would have crossed over the border from troubled to someone with very serious mental health issues at the time. He was traumatized in the worst way possible, and PTSD would have already begun to set in. 

 

That doesn't make Gideon crazy -- or evil -- like Dr. Lucas would like to believe. But by the time he became a teen-ager, Gideon did have a serious mental health history -- very serious traumas inflicted upon him as a child. He was (still is) a very loving soul who had a lot of terrible things happen to him, leaving him scarred in a way that he still struggles with. He knows a part of him is broken. What he's learning is that it's not broken beyond repair. Love -- and real help -- can make all the difference in the world.

What I never understood was when Eva questioned Elizabeth she made the comment "Christopher was there as well and he said nothing happened" or words to that affect, does that mean Chris Jnr was there when Gideon was being abused or were they both abused and Chris Jnr does not remember?,  This has bugged me about that part of the book,

 

Can anyone shed any light :)

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I'm sure it will be there on the 4th June.

Because we don't get our release till the 6th, my daughter is downloading it on her kindle for me on the 4th. Then by the time I'm finished, the book should be here. I'll put it on my iPod so I can listen on the way to work. Then we can digest and dissect here when I get home.

Obsessed or what? Absolutely mad. ;)

Mad is the right word for it Julie lol :)

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What I never understood was when Eva questioned Elizabeth she made the comment "Christopher was there as well and he said nothing happened" or words to that affect, does that mean Chris Jnr was there when Gideon was being abused or were they both abused and Chris Jnr does not remember?,  This has bugged me about that part of the book,

 

Can anyone shed any light :)

I agree I think the two boys must have been taking the therapy together but maybe for a short time the therapist did see them separately ,the therapist could have decided that Gideon needed the most help so maybe he got more time...if the therapist was the abuser and how that part is written it certainly sounds like it .

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I agree I think the two boys must have been taking the therapy together but maybe for a short time the therapist did see them separately ,the therapist could have decided that Gideon needed the most help so maybe he got more time...if the therapist was the abuser and how that part is written it certainly sounds like it .

thanks :)

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Christopher was only five years old, just a little boy. Gideon was ten or eleven at the time, on the threshold between boy and teenager. Pedophiles often have a preferred "type" including gender and age bracket. Obviously, Gideon, not Christopher, was the pervert's "type."

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Chapter Twenty  of Bared To You - The Readers Guide

 

This chapter runs Tuesday evening (day 16) through Wednesday evening (day 17)

 

Key plot developments:

  • This chapter, a pivotal one in the in the Crossfire series thus far, starts unfolding the biggest crisis in Bared To You, a plot line that would continue to play itself out to the end of the novel and beyond into Reflected in You.
  • Gideon's former fiancee, Corrine, crashed a fundraiser dinner Gideon and Eva attended, blindsiding both of them, and Eva would find out secrets Gideon kept from her (Eva) in a way that caused serious damage to Eva's trust in Gideon. 
  • The crisis happened Wednesday evening. Tuesday evening, Gideon had his first individual therapy session with Dr. Petersen, who formally diagnosed Gideon's condition that causes him to become sexually violent while still asleep. Gideon agreed to a course of treatment.

 

New characters:

Corrine Giroux

Martin Stanton (minor)

 

Timeline of events in this chapter regarding the Fundraiser Fiasco - part one

  1. Gideon and Eva attended a gala fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria, Eva looking especially stunning in a cocktail dress Gideon bought her for the occasion.
  2. When they first arrived, other people grabbed Gideon's attention, so Eva ended up dancing with Stanton's nephew, Martin.
  3. Gideon cut in, unhappy to see Eva with another man. The pair of them danced.
  4. As they came off the dance floor, Eva spotted Magdalene talking Corrine. Then Corrine spotted Gideon, and the look on her face showed she was deeply in love with him.
  5. Gideon, taken off guard that Corrine was present, introduced Eva to her, lying by omission that Corrine was simply an old friend. Eva found it necessary to explain she (Eva) was Gideon's girlfriend, not just another female friend of his.
  6. Corrine manufactured an excuse to immediately draw Gideon away from Eva's side. Needing to talk to Corrine in order to try to take control of the situation, he went with her.
  7. While Gideon was off with Corrine, Magdalene told Eva the truth - Corrine was Gideon's former fiancee, who had left him.
  8. Soon Gideon returned with Corrine, then left her briefly with Eva and Magdalene while he went to talk with someone.
  9. Corrine seized on the opportunity to discuss her "friendship" with Gideon. Upon learning Eva knew Corrine's true status of ex-fiancee, Corrine admitted she was still in love with Gideon.
  10. Thanks to Corrine, Eva found out an awful truth - the reason Gideon had dumped her (Eva) the night of their first date was to respond to urgent phone calls from Corrine.

 

What Magdalene told Eva - the past connection between Corrine and Gideon

  • Corrine and Gideon had been engaged for more than a year (how long ago this was, Eva wasn't told).
  • Corrine broke the engagement, married a wealthy Frenchman and moved to Europe.
  • Corrine is now getting divorced, and she's moved back to New York.
  • Acting miserable, Magdalene termed Corrine "the one who got away" and admitted that now Corrine's back, Magdalene has given up on ever having Gideon for herself.

Magdalene confessed she had spent years trying to replace Corrine, even wearing her own brunette hair waist length like Corrine does, hoping this would make her more attractive to Gideon.

Magdalene also admitted to Eva she can see now that Eva loves Gideon -- and Magdalene apologized for how badly she treated Eva the night she and Eva met.

 

What Corrine told Eva - the present connection between her and Gideon

  • Corrine said she and Gideon talk on the telephone daily and that he had told her (Corrine) a lot about Eva.
  • She thanked Eva for getting Gideon to start to open up.
  • When asked point blank by Eva, Corrine admitted she is still in love with him.
  • She said the biggest mistake she ever made was to walk away from him. She gave the reason for leaving as being afraid of his possessiveness at the time, but in hindsight she recognized his possessiveness showed he cared.
  • Corrine confessed she initially was afraid to come back to New York to face Gideon and Eva as a couple -- so nervous that she delayed her return to New York. Two weekends prior, she was all set to fly to New York, but she ended up cancelling the flight.  
  • It turned out that the night she'd originally planned to hop on a plane, she called Gideon in crisis to tell him she was coming. She reached him by phone in the middle of a fundraiser. He called her back soon after in order to talk -- including telling Corrine he'd met someone (Eva). 

Eva connected the dots: the night Corrine reached out to Gideon for help to leave Europe for New York, he dropped everything to tend to Corrine's needs. What he dropped was Eva - ditched her at the end of their disastrous first date in order to leave early and alone. It had been the final insult to his having treated her so coldly immediately after Eva had made love to Gideon for the first time.

This revelation -- Gideon chose Corrine over Eva that night -- devastated Eva.

The damage done triggered Eva's worst insecurity and jealousy problems -- and made her doubt how much Gideon really wanted her. In Reflected in You, those seeds would blossom into something that choked Eva's trust entirely and led her to end the relationship. 

 

Other stuff from this chapter - what happened Tuesday evening

Gideon had his first individual therapy appointment with Dr. Petersen, who diagnosed him with atypical sexual parasomnia. Parasomnia is a disorder where people deeply asleep do things, like sleep walking. The sexual version of this involves a person engaging in sexual behavior while fast asleep. Atypical meant Gideon's case was not normal, given the nature of what he did sexually while asleep.

Dr. Petersen recommended sleep medication coupled with psychotherapy to deal with the underlying causes of Gideon's becoming sexually violent while fast asleep. Gideon agreed to undergo treatment, including drugs.

Gideon told Eva he invited Magdalene to a private lunch in his office earlier that day -- so that he could show Magdalene the video proof of Christopher sexually using Magdalene. Seeing the tape was very painful for Magdalene, especially because Gideon had seen the tape of her having sex with his half-brother.

When Eva asked what Gideon intended to do to Christopher about the tape, Gideon admitted nothing. From what Gideon explained, any efforts would be in vain, because nothing he's attempted to do over the years has reigned in Christopher - from throwing money at him to threatening him. Damage control is Gideon's choice at this point -- including keeping Christopher away from Eva.

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