ckingsbridge

Responses to Reviews for Chapter One Dazedandconfused: Haha, thanks! I’m glad to hear that. And I definitely need my writing schedule to keep me on track! ;-) Writer11377: LOL! Thank you very much, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the first chapter! Harriette-Stevenson: Thank you! I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. Sal: Thank you so much! I hope this week’s chapter eased your concerns about the new gladiator. ;-) Iapaige90: Hee, thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the first chapter, and hopefully this week’s chapter provided a satisfying fix. ;-) Smint45: I’m glad to hear that! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Jessie: Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed the events of this week’s chapter. :-) Mint: That’s a pretty good guess! ;-) You’ll find out a lot more about the new gladiator over the next few chapters. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Mako: Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the first chapter. Quill: LOL! He did indeed, and there’s a reason for that… Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Itzybitzyspider: Aw, thank you so much! That’s really kind of you. The new gladiator’s true nature will be revealed in Chapter 3, but you’re on the right track. ;-) I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story, and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Close Protection, as well! Shiyo: Thank you! It feels good to have a new WIP going again. Katniss Everdeen: Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter. ;-) AloHola: Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that, and I hope you enjoy the story!

That fixed it, thanks!

I logged into AFF.net today as usual (my screenname there is cordelia_kingsbridge), went to the control panel, then to "Edit" under the "Originals" section to add a chapter to one of my stories - and the user panel doesn't show up! It goes to the user panel page, but the actual interface to choose the story isn't there. I tried "Add" as well; same thing. Any idea what's going on? I tried this on multiple browsers and got the same results. Thanks! ~Cordelia Kingsbridge

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Nine Nine: I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed CP so much! Thank you for all of your kind words over the course of the story, and I hope you enjoy my future works just as much. Midnightsscream: Thank you so much, my dear! You’ve been a fantastic reviewer, and I really appreciate all of your support and encouragement. I hope you enjoyed the final chapter! Toriew: Thank you for reading! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the ride. ;-) Diebyownhands: I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you very much. I’ll definitely be writing more in the future! Wolfwitch: Yay, thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter and the story, and thank you for all of your support. Yacumo: Aw, thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews over the course of the story! Anise: Luca definitely doesn’t want to turn into his mother, and he probably won’t now, but who knows what would have happened if Ryder hadn’t come into his life? Just one more reason for him to hang on to Ryder. ;-) Thank you so much for all of your kind words over the course of the novel. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story, and I hope you found the final chapter satisfying! Writer11377: LOL! It’s bittersweet for me, too. I’m so glad the story has meant so much to you, and thank you for all of your support! Jeanette: No problem! If anyone understands about being too busy, it’s me. ;-) Luca and Ryder will be waiting when you come back! Lisa: Thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter and Evelyn’s revelation. It’s been such a fun ride; thank you for coming along with me and lending me your support and encouragement! Misakixusagi: I’m so glad to hear that CP has meant so much to you. I can’t thank you enough for reading and reviewing all this time, and I really hope you enjoyed the final chapter! <3 Theaceofspades: Thank you very much! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story, and I really appreciate all of the kindness and encouragement you’ve given me over the course of writing it. Dazedandconfused: Aw, thank you so much! That’s incredibly kind of you. I’m really glad you’ve enjoyed the story, and I’m so touched by your review. :-) Dragonlilly1993: Thank you very much! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story, and I hope you found the final chapter to be a satisfying conclusion. TabFan: Thank you! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it. I wish I could help you out with that reading list, but I have to admit that I don’t know how any of that works, either! LOL. Io: Thank you so much! That’s so kind of you. My characters are real people to me, and I’m so thrilled to have been able to share them with so many people. Thank you again for all of the encouragement you’ve given me over the course of the story! L: Thanks! Yllimilly: Welcome back! I pride myself on my sex scenes, LOL, so I’m particularly glad you enjoyed those. ;-) As for Ryder’s secret, I have to disagree – I love when POV characters have secrets they hide from the reader, especially when they drop hints about it throughout the story – but I guess that’s a matter of personal taste. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story, and thank you for all your kind words! I’d be happy to add you to the update mailing list I’m creating. Would you mind sending me your email address again, though? I can’t remember where I put it, haha!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Eight Midnightsscream: Haha, I’m glad you liked BAMF!Luca. That was so much fun to write! Yosef definitely had a twisted sense of honor (and was another really interesting character to write), but Ryder and Luca are way safer with him dead. Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m really happy you enjoyed the chapter! V: I didn’t really plan on the chapter being so long; it just sort of turned out that way! LOL. Candace’s death was excruciating for me to write, so I’m glad it had an emotional impact. There will be some more resolution of her story in the final chapter of the novel. A lot of people really enjoyed Yosef’s character, which I was hoping would be the case – he was an interesting villain in that he wasn’t just straight-up evil like Warnock. I kind of wish I had been able to fit more of him into the story! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Misakixusagi: Thank you so much! I’m really glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoy the last couple of chapters as well. :-) Rosebub101: Seriously, Warnock should have known better than to leave Luca alone with a guard who wanted to fuck him! LOL. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the story, and thank you very much for your kind words! Nine: Aw, thank you! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the chapter so much. This isn’t really a spoiler, so I will set your mind at ease by reassuring you that Warnock is definitely dead. ;-) Thank you again for your lovely review! Anise: Tons of readers thought the endgame was going to involve Evelyn’s business! I’m actually really glad that nobody figured out the truth – it makes it more realistic that none of the characters figured it out, either. LOL! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing. Theaceofspades: I’ve been waiting to use that last line for a full year now! Haha. I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you enjoy the aftermath and resolution! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. :-) SunaoTsuji: I’m glad you enjoyed it! Adrenaline rush is definitely what I was going for. ;-) Thanks so much for your kind review! Lisa: Haha, thanks! Luca and Ryder were a great team in this chapter, weren’t they? I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter – hopefully the final two chapters will provide a satisfying emotional resolution to this rollercoaster journey. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Seven An Admirer: Well, now you know! Sorry it ended up not working out for you. ;-) Anon: LOL! I know this newest chapter was a rough ride, but I hope you ended up enjoying it! Misakixusagi: I’m not gonna lie, I loved writing that Ryder/Luca fight! LOL. *sadistic author is sadistic* But as you probably know by now, it all turned out okay. :-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Yacumo: They’ll find a way to work through it, I promise! Turns out the events of this latest chapter may have had a silver lining, after all. ;-) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter! Snow: Thank you very much! I’m so glad to hear that. Lisa: Now you know how Luca ends up forgiving Ryder! The issue isn’t completely resolved, though – it’ll come up again in the final chapter. And yes, Luca and Evelyn are very much alike, except for the fact that Luca is continually changing for the better and Evelyn has no interest in changing at all! LOL. Thanks so much for your review, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter! Babbettegood: Haha, you did come in at a good time! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for letting me know. :-) Io: Thank you! There’s plenty more drama coming your way, LOL. Anise: Stressful next chapter is right! Haha. I hope you enjoyed the climax of the Admirer storyline! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. SunaoTsuji: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. :-)

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Six Nine: Thank you so much! I’m touched to hear CP has meant that much to you. I’m going to miss writing it, too, but don’t worry – I’ll still write CP-verse ficlets even after the novel concludes. In addition, I’m planning to start a brand-new WIP in January. It won’t be related to CP, but hopefully most people who enjoyed CP will like the new story as well. Io: Thank you very much! Ashton has really come a long way from what I planned for his character when I first introduced him. I’m glad you like him! Dr. Andersen holds a special place in my heart, as well. :-) Anise: Yeah, if Dan hadn’t been there, Ryder would probably be dead right now! *gives Dan a medal* A lot of people speculated the same thing – that Luca’s dad had fallen on him when he died. I have to admit I never considered that, though it definitely would have worked (except Luca would have been way more fucked up than he already is, haha). I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Wolfwitch: Thank you so much! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story, and I hope you had fun on your trip. Writer11377: Haha, thanks! Don’t worry, the end of CP won’t mean the end of the CP ‘verse. I’m definitely planning on writing more about them in the future! Lisa: Oh man, I can’t even imagine how my parents would react if they found out I wrote this story! It’s not so much the gay sex that would throw them as the D/s stuff, haha. I think the answer to your question about Evelyn is in the question itself – how can she be so cold when she was all warm and fuzzy with Antonio? Well… Antonio’s not around anymore! LOL. This will be explored further in Chapter 49, actually. I think your analysis of some of Luca’s issues was very insightful, as well! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. ShadowSobek13: Thank you very much, and welcome to the story! I’m really glad you like it. You’re coming in at a good time, too – only a few chapters left until the story is complete!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Five An Admirer(s): LOL! Your time in the sun is coming, I promise. Sorry your plans for Ryder didn’t work out this week, but I got your back! The boys won’t know what hit ‘em. ;-) Anon: Hee, thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed his BAMF moment. Sapphire2619: Oh, it’s definitely going to get vicious. Haha! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thanks so much for reviewing! Midnightsscream: Feisty! LOL, that’s a perfect word to describe Luca. I’m glad you enjoyed the plot twist, and thank you very much for your review! Naraka00: Aw, I’m glad I could help! I hope things have gotten better for you since last week. Luca saw Yosef at Fairburn Howard’s New Year’s Eve party, on the night he met Nate Wakefield. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing! Eroburn: Thank you so much! We’re really ramping up to the climax now, and I think everyone will indeed be surprised by what Luca is capable of. ;-) So glad you’re enjoying it! Yacumo: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. Luca is definitely mad now – and when Luca gets mad, he gets even. ;-) Anise: Haha, Luca definitely has a temper, and he tends to have an interesting way of seeking vengeance. We’ll see how that turns out this time. ;-) There’s also a little more to what the Admirer group is doing than Vieuxpont let on! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter and the ficlet, and thank you very much for reviewing! Rosebud101: Thank you very much! I’m so glad to hear that, and I hope you continue enjoying the story. W: Thank you so much! That’s very kind of you to say. If I can find a way to publish the story while also keeping the free version on the Internet, I may very well do that. :-) I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Lisa: LOL! It’s not quite all of them, despite how Vieuxpont made it sound. It’s more like a dozen of them. Which is still way more than Luca and Ryder were prepared to deal with, haha! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing. Responses to Reviews for “Hello, Stranger” Attackegg: Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. The prompter originally suggested an AU, but I thought the roleplay angle would be more interesting. ;-)

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Four Yacumo: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying their deepening relationship. Midnightsscream: It’s amazing how much difference having a relationship with Ryder makes for Luca’s coping skills! LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Eroburn: You always leave the sweetest reviews! Thank you so much – I really appreciate your kind words. VV: Well, it’ll be a couple of years before Luca and Ryder tell everyone about their relationship, but Luca will talk to a particularly important person about it in Chapter 47. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the story! J42: Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. :-) Nine: I like to take the characters on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, haha. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for reviewing! Anise: That’s a good insight – they are resigned to strange messages and stuff being left around for them by now. I guess that’s a signal to the Admirer that he needs to step up his game. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for your review! Theaceofspades: Yeah, I wouldn’t really label Ryder a “killer”, because that word has certain connotations that don’t apply to him. But the fact that he has deliberately killed so many people – no matter the circumstances – truly does torment him to this day. Poor guy. *pets him* Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Lisa: Thank you very much! I teared up a few times while I was writing Ryder’s story, too, and had to take some breaks to pull myself together. To be honest, I’m not 100% sure that the Army would realistically have court-martialed him for killing Jimmy – but since there was nobody who could have corroborated his story that it was a mercy killing, there would at least have been an intense investigation that would have smeared his name. I don’t know if “euthanasia” flies as an excuse in the Army; it certainly doesn’t in civilian life! As for the rest, there’s one very important reason there was no note left with the rosary, which you’ll find out in Chapter 48. ;-) Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Jeanette: Thanks! It’s no wonder Ryder became so closed-off emotionally, huh? *hugs him* I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Responses to Reviews for “Hello, Stranger” Basilisk6: Thank you very much! One of the reasons I was happy to write a future!fic at this point was that I really wanted to reassure everyone that Ryder and Luca do get a happy ending – especially since some seriously bad stuff is about to go down in the main story over the next few chapters. So I’m really glad you enjoyed it! Bix: Hee, that was the idea! I’m glad you enjoyed it. ;-) Yacumo: Thank you! This was so much fun to write, and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it! Lisa: LOL! Did you read the warnings? I put in the warnings that it was roleplay, but I know a lot of people skip them and would think they were in an AU. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you very much for reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Three AloHola: LOL, I’m so sorry! Hopefully this week’s chapter will make up for that cruel cliffhanger. ;-) Eroburn: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sofia Ottoman: Haha, I know! Sorry about that. I hope you enjoy this week’s resolution! Mint: So, you got a hint of the Admirer this week, but next week will be very Admirer-centric. ;-) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! ReinaLorraine: LOL! I think this week’s chapter will explain a lot. Thanks so much for reading! Midnightsscream: If you read this week’s chapter already, then you know that Ryder did kill Jimmy, and why. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing! Yacumo: Haha, I’m glad you enjoyed it! And thank you about the awards. I really appreciate your support throughout this long journey! Nine: Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. <3 W: Thank you, and welcome to the story! I hope you continue to enjoy it. Anise: Sex will always be the one thing Ryder and Luca click over throughout their entire relationship, no matter how angry they are with each other or how much they disagree about other things. LOL! That passion will definitely help get them through some rough patches. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and by now you probably know that Ryder didn’t dodge the explanation at all, so I hope you enjoyed that as well. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing! Lisa: Nope, it wasn’t an accident! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reading and reviewing (and about the awards). Theaceofspades: Actually, Ryder is a killer. LOL! I know what you meant, though, so you’re half-right. ;-) Thanks for the review, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Jeanette: Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed Ryder’s revelation this week. :-)

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-Two Midnightsscream: Thank you so much! I’m glad you haven’t figured out what the Admirer wants – that would ruin the surprise. ;-) I’m happy you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks again for your kind words! Jeanette: Don’t worry too much about Ashton; he’ll be just fine. And yes, things are definitely coming to a boil now! Not too long before the final showdown. ;-) Thanks so much for your review, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Galya: Haha! Glad to hear it. ;-) Thanks for reading! Eroburn: Thank you! I can’t have everything be about Luca, after all. LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. Misakixusagi: The AFF.net outage was hard on everybody, haha. If it ever happens again in the future, you can always find CP on both Livejournal and Fiction Press to get your fix. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! The Silent Rose: Thank you very much! That’s quite a compliment. (Writers really can be the worst to watch movies with, LOL.) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope it continues to intrigue! Nine: Aw, I love you too! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story so much. Thank you for letting me know! Nitya: Thanks! Ashton’s turning into quite the little BAMF. ;-) Lisa: Tricia’s a total slasher, haha. But only Ashton and Luca were on the tapes the Admirer sent out! The Admirer has tapes in his possession of Ryder and Luca, but only he and Matt have seen them. So neither Davenport nor Evelyn saw those particular videos. (Though I will say that Evelyn already knows Ryder and Luca are sleeping together, and leave it at that. Hee!) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Chanii: Thank you so much – that’s really kind of you to say! I’m very glad you’re enjoying the story. Yacumo: Yeah, Luca is upset about Matt (and really upset about being taped for three months in his own bedroom, haha), but he doesn’t feel as betrayed as he would have if it had been someone closer to him. In fact, Ryder is the one who’s really betrayed, because he considered Matt a friend. Poor guys! Thank you so much for the review, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. :-) Anise: Ashton is turning into his own man! His friendship with Luca has made him a lot stronger and braver, which is really nice to write. Of course, he has a lot less to lose than Ryder does over a public relationship with Luca, but Ryder isn’t even brave enough to call Luca his boyfriend in private, which is kind of sad. LOL! Matt’s not going to be super-helpful in leading them to the Admirer, but the boys are about to get a bigger break in the case. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Theaceofspades: Ashton will definitely have a happy ending (in life as well as the story)! I love him too much at this point to write it any other way. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the surprise reveal, and thank you so much for the review! Sofia Ottoman: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear that, and I hope you continue enjoying the story.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty-One Yacumo: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed Luca’s scheming. ;-) Eroburn: Aw, thank you so much! That’s very kind of you. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Misakixusagi: Thanks! The Silent Rose: LOL, that’s okay – I think the fact that Ryder and Luca call them by different names (last and first, respectively) might be the reason for that, especially since Siobhan’s first name starts with the same letter as Candace’s last name. Siobhan and Luca’s relationship is still in a rocky place, though it’s slowly healing. It’ll take some time for them to get back to where they were before. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Anise: Thank you very much! It was a nice little break from all the angst (though of course I couldn’t resist adding a couple of angsty moments in there, LOL). I hope you enjoyed this week’s revelation! ;-) JT: Ryder’s past will be revealed in Chapters 43 & 44 – mostly in 44, but you’ll get a big, big revelation at the end of next week’s chapter. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, as always! Jeanette: Thank you! I’m very glad you enjoyed it. It’ll be a while before you see that much fluff from me concentrated in one chapter again, haha! Fairy4u: Thank you very much, and I really appreciate your vote! Don’t worry about not being a regular reviewer – I’m just glad you’re enjoying the story. :-) Midnightsscream: Eee, a real-life Luca sighting! That’s awesome. Something that always throws me is the truck rental company Ryder – whenever I drive past their trucks on the highway, I do a double-take. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing! Galya: Sorry to disappoint! LOL. I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway. ;-) Lisa: Thank you! I have to admit, I enjoy writing about a guy who’s all tough on the outside and sweetly romantic on the inside. ;-) And this was one of the few times where Luca’s sexual manipulation was actually a good thing! LOL. Their relationship is really starting to mesh now. Thank you again for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Dut: Luca’s reaction to Ryder lying on top of him during Gray’s shooting was indeed connected to something in his past – we’ll find out more in Chapter 46. (I think that’s right, but I don’t have my outline in front of me, so it might not be exact.) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you for the review! Mako: Ahahaha! I don’t watch PLL, but I’m familiar enough with the storyline from my young cousins to know what you mean. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thanks so much for reviewing! Theaceofspades: Happy birthday! I hope you had a great day. Did any of your theories about the mole turn out to be right? Io: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Gisaeng: Thank you very much! I think that you might see that wish come true one day, if you’re patient. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Forty Yacumo: I got you your lemon this week! ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. But Luca’s panic attack wasn’t about Ryder – it was about Ryder lying on top of him, which sent him into a tailspin that he can’t explain. This will be further explored in a future chapter. Thank you so much for reviewing! The Silent Rose: Luca and Candace had a conversation about that a few chapters ago (I can’t remember which one off the top of my head). Basically, Luca was never that upset with her about it, because given her personality and background, he would never have expected her to tell him about Evelyn’s secret orders in the first place. The reason he was so angry with Siobhan in particular is because she’s not the type of person to blindly follow orders, which made it feel like a personal betrayal. Also, Luca and Siobhan have a much closer relationship – Luca likes Candace a lot and vice versa, but they don’t have the kind of friendship he and Siobhan have (Candace is much older than Siobhan, who is closer to Luca’s age). I hope that helps! And you’re right, I can’t answer your question about the Admirer without spoilers. LOL! It won’t be too much longer now before everything is revealed, though. Thanks so much for reviewing! Misakixusagi: Thank you very much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. Gisaeng: Thank you so much, and thank you for voting! I really appreciate it. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the story. Luca really has come a long way from the person he was at the beginning, hasn’t he? Pretty soon Ryder will be making some big changes as well. ;-) Thanks again! Anise: We’ll absolutely find out why Luca had such a strong reaction to Ryder lying on top of him – I think in Chapter 46, but I don’t have my outline in front of me right now, so don’t quote me on that. LOL! It’ll happen, though, I promise. Also, speaking of Ashton, he has a total BAMF moment next week that I think you’ll enjoy. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you liked the chapter! Mint: The Admirer’s note meant that catching him wouldn’t be as easy as catching Gray, because he knew Luca was hoping that Gray would give up the Admirer’s identity or at least give them a lead. In other words, the Admirer was saying, “You thought you had me? Well, guess again – it won’t be that easy, bitch.” Hope that clears it up! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for the review. Eroburn: Luca and Ryder will work it out eventually – but they’ll go through a lot of turmoil and struggle before they get to that point, LOL. Thanks for reviewing! Theaceofspades: I love to provoke a reaction! Hehe. So glad you’re enjoying the story, and thank you very much for the review! JT: I’m pretty sure you can only vote once, but thank you! I appreciate your support. :-) And your comment about the Admirer made me LOL for a reason I can’t explain without serious spoilers. Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing! Io: Thank you so much! If you’re enjoying Ashton’s development, there’s a moment next week that I think you’ll really like. ;-) Lisa: Because anxiety about being out of control doesn’t distract Luca during sex – it makes him more focused (since he needs the sex to calm him down). So here Luca’s been through all this crazy shit, and he should be all over Ash with uncontrollable passion, but he’s kind of holding back. That’s how Ashton knew something else was going on. ;-) As for Gray and the Admirer, they teamed up to torture Luca for two separate reasons – Gray wanted to get to Evelyn, but the Admirer wants Luca. Different endgames, same means of getting there. I hope that helps? The Admirer’s note meant that catching him wouldn’t be as easy as catching Gray, because he knew Luca was hoping that Gray would give up the Admirer’s identity or at least give them a lead. In other words, the Admirer was saying, “You thought you had me? Well, guess again – it won’t be that easy, bitch.” Like that. Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Ooh, and thanks for voting, too – I really appreciate it! Attackegg: The deal is that Luca gives him one month of monogamy, and if nothing has changed for either of them at that point, Ryder will agree to an open relationship and not interfere if/when Luca sleeps with other men. It’s kind of like a trial run, though admittedly it’s weighted more in Ryder’s favor. However, if they get to the end of the month and Ryder hasn’t changed his mind about calling Luca his boyfriend, Luca will insist on being non-monogamous, and Ryder won’t have a choice if he wants to stay with him. So the clock is ticking! LOL. Thanks so much for the review!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Nine Eroburn: Haha, thanks! Anon: Aw, that’s so sweet! Thank you. I’m glad to brighten up your day! :-) Naraka00: Yeah, Kyle is more stupid and jealous than actively malicious, and he’ll be paying for that for a long time. I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and you can look forward to plenty more D/s! Thanks so much for reviewing. ReinaLorraine: LOL, thanks! That’s very kind of you. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story! Jeanette: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it – especially the sex scene, which is my own personal favorite part of the chapter. ;-) Yacumo: Hee! Thank you so much. The D/s is really fun to write, particularly with this kind of dynamic. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Nine: LMAO! I giggled when I wrote that, too. Glad you liked it! The Silent Rose: The short answer is that Luca doesn’t call Ryder by his first name because Ryder doesn’t like to be called by his first name. Only his family members, Andy, and a few casual friends call him by his first name, and as you can see from his POV sections, he even thinks of himself by his last name. Luca and Ryder will eventually discuss this – I’m not sure if it’s going to fit into the main novel, but I know how the conversation goes in my head – and the upshot is that Luca almost always calls him “Ryder” throughout the entirety of their relationship, though there are certain situations in which he calls him “Jacob” (never “Jake”). It’s all based on Ryder’s personal preference. And I’m glad you noticed the differences between Ryder and Luca’s POVs! I try hard to make their POVs as distinct as possible, so it’s really nice to know that readers are recognizing that. Thank you so much for reviewing! Anon: Thanks! I have a lot of real-world experience with D/s, so that probably helps. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying it! JT: Thank you very much! And don’t worry – even after CP concludes, I’ll still write birthday ficlets for readers, and I have other stories (in new universes) planned as well. I’m so happy you’re enjoying CP that much, and I’m glad you liked the chapter! Gayest safeword of all time FTW, LOL. Shapooda: Aw, thank you so much! That’s an incredible compliment, and I truly appreciate it. These characters are real people to me; knowing that they’re real to the readers as well is one of the best feelings an author can have, in my opinion. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story and the characters, and thank you again for your review! Midnightsscream: Haha! Glad you enjoyed it – there’s plenty more where that came from. ;-) Thanks for reviewing! Anise: I’m not sure yet what ends up happening to Kyle, at least not the way I know most of the other characters’ futures. I know that he gets expelled from Rutledge and can’t get into a good college, but after that, who knows? I like to think that this experience ends up making him a better person, at least eventually. :-) I’m glad you’re enjoying the D/s! Ryder and Luca won’t ever be into hardcore S&M, so you don’t have to worry about that – the primary focus will always be the psychological effect of power exchange. I’ve got some fun stuff planned for them, LOL! Thank you so much for your review, as always. Io: Thank you! I’m having a lot of fun writing their D/s dynamic. ;-) Lisa: The state does indeed end up dropping the assault charge against Kyle, though he is still prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance. (Legally, of course, the state could have pursued the charge whether Luca wanted them to or not.) I hope your new computer is working out for you! I can’t believe the old one actually exploded, LOL. How awful! Thanks so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. :-) Attackegg: Thank you very much! I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Eight V: Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoyed the resolution of the cliffhanger. Belle Nakadar: Do you? ;-) Sitsu: Aw, thank you very much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. Toriew: Thank you so much! That was a very perceptive comment about the Admirer’s opinion of Ryder, and you’ll see why soon. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Milly: Thanks! Glad you liked it. :-) Nine: Hee, thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it – I always get insecure when I write action scenes. I’m much more comfortable writing porn, LOL! Yacumo: Thank you very much! I got you your lemon in this week’s chapter. ;-) I hope you enjoyed it! Misakixusagi: That’s very kind of you! Doesn’t self-publishing cost money, though? That’s one thing I definitely don’t have, LOL. But I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story that much! Thank you for reviewing. JT: Your reviews always make me giggle! Put all the douches in prison, indeed. LOL! As you can see after reading the latest chapter, Kyle’s probably not going to prison – but he definitely ruined his life. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you for your always-entertaining reviews! Io: Thanks! This chapter seemed to make some other readers suspicious of Dr. Andersen, which is pretty interesting, since that’s not what I intended at all. Haha! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story and its characters. :-) Midnightsscream: Luca’s glad, too! :-) I’m glad you liked the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Anise: Oh, that’s awesome, thank you! I get so nervous about the action scenes, you have no idea. I’m way more comfortable writing sex! Haha. But I’m thrilled to hear it came off well. Trust me when I say that nobody’s going to like what the Admirer comes up with next. ;-) Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Jeanette: I’m glad you liked it! I hope you enjoyed the revelations as to Kyle’s motives in this week’s chapter. Thanks so much for the review! Lisa: I think you’re mixing up Kyle with Reggie – Reggie is the drug dealer, and he was mostly a throwaway character who won’t appear again. Kyle is Luca’s classmate and teammate who hates him. Hopefully this week’s chapter cleared that up! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing. Responses to Reviews for Meet Cute Cham: I don’t hate silent readers! LOL. I’m glad you felt moved enough by the ficlet to comment, though. I hope you continue to enjoy CP! :-) JT: Aw, thanks! Antonio was a super-sweet guy. I’m glad you liked it! Jakki: I write the ficlets according to the prompts that my readers give me, so it’s really up to them! But I’m glad you liked Andy enough to want to see him happy. Toriew: Thank you very much! That’s great to hear – that’s definitely what I’ve been intending with many of these little ficlets. I’m glad you’re enjoying them! Anise: Antonio definitely lightened Evelyn up, though she was never truly carefree and impulsive except when she was in his immediate presence. Having that fling with him and bringing him home was probably the only impulsive thing Evelyn has ever done in her life, LOL. But Antonio was the kind of guy who had the effect on people, and he was indeed a fantastic husband and father. The ficlet was bittersweet to write, knowing what was coming in their future. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for reviewing! Reighchama: Don’t worry, I certainly don’t expect everybody who reads the story and its ficlets to review! I was very happy to hear from you, though, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the CP world. Thank you for your kind words! Lisa: Yay, Italian men! I have to admit I had fun playing around with that trope, haha. As for what ended up happening to Antonio – there’s actually going to be a couple of big reveals about that in the main story, so you just have to hold on until then. ;-) Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for the review!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Seven Milly: Thanks! Of course, now that Ryder and Luca are in a good place, I have to mess up everything else in their lives. LOL! Eroburn: Oh, that’s so kind of you to say! Thank you very much, and I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story. Yacumo: I think Andy will be fine! We won’t see him again in the main novel, but he gets his own happy ending, I promise. And you’re spot-on regarding Luca’s attitude towards monogamy! There is a huge discussion about this coming up in chapter 40. Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! JT: Hee! I’m glad you liked it so much. It was definitely a tying-up-loose-ends sort of chapter – now the craziness can really begin. I also have some Luca/Ryder D/s on deck for you guys. ;-) Thank you very much for your review! FortunateM: You’re right, there are potentially very serious consequences to Luca and Ryder’s “relationship” that they’re overlooking. It’s an interesting dynamic, because they’re both legitimately in life-threatening danger every single day! We’ll see what happens. ;-) And without giving spoilers, I can tell you that the Admirer knows for a fact that Ryder and Luca started sleeping together. I just won’t say how! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing. Dut: He really does! We’ll see more of that in the near future. Thanks for the review! Jeanette: Thank you very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. <3 Viola: Thanks! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the story. (Especially the “free” part, LOL.) Io: Oh, thank you! I really appreciate that. I don’t really plan on publishing CP because I want it to stay free to readers, but I am working on a separate story right now that I plan to eventually submit for publication. (Though at the rate I’m writing it, that’ll be in approximately 2015, haha.) Thanks again! Shinju: Haha! Wait until you get to the chapter that tells the whole story – it’s a bit different from other scandals the Catholic Church has swept under the rug. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing! Anise: Calm down? Not in Ryder and Luca’s world, LOL. *sadistic author is sadistic* The objectivity/emotional investment debate is a big theme in this story – Ryder and Siobhan had this argument when Luca first returned to America. Siobhan thinks that loving Luca makes her a better bodyguard, and at the time, Ryder disagreed. Will he change his mind about that? I don’t know. He definitely knows how dangerous it would be to let his sexual feelings for Luca distract him on the job, but I’m not sure he’s thought about the potential dangers of letting his emotions alter his behavior as well. We shall see! Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! TD: Your review made me choke up a little. Writing that scene with Nate was extremely difficult for me, and I can only imagine how much more difficult reading it would be for someone who had survived a similar situation IRL. I’m very glad to know that you think I handled it well, and I’ll continue to do my best to make sure that Luca’s reactions to and processing of the event are portrayed as sensitively and realistically as possible. *hugs* Lisa: Ahahaha, Ryder is all about “What will the neighbors think?” And then Luca is more the type who’s like, “Let’s leave the windows open so the neighbors can hear us fucking.” LOL! Nate is very messed-up – though admittedly, there are plenty of men in the world who think they’re within their rights to do whatever they want to someone who’s already naked in their bed, regardless of that person’s wishes. The sad truth is that even if Luca had pressed charges against Nate for sexual assault, it’s very unlikely that Nate would have been convicted. (That’s rape culture for you.) Ryder would probably have beat the shit out of Nate if he’d seen him again! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing. Responses to Reviews for You’ve Got A Friend In Me JT: I did a huge character dissection on Ashton’s motives for one of my readers over on LJ, but I’m too tired to repeat it, LOL. It’s still in the comments section of the LJ post of this story, if you’re interested. For now, I’ll just say that Ashton gets things from Luca that he doesn’t get anywhere else (besides sex), and that’s why he’s so dedicated. But of course, Ashton/Luca sex can’t hold a candle to Ryder/Luca! Haha. Thanks for reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Six Writer11377: Aw, thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Yacumo: Ahahaha! I’m so glad to hear that. There’s a good chance of wall!sex in Ryder and Luca’s future, LOL. As for the mole, I can tell you that it’s someone we’ve seen multiple times, so you’re right to be suspicious. Thank you so much for reviewing! Misakixusagi: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I hope the past two weeks without updates haven’t been too rough. ;-) Anon: Thank you! :-) V: Thank you so much! I can promise Ryder/Luca sex way more often than every three chapters, LOL. I’ve been waiting to write their sex scenes for so long that I’ve got a ton of them built up in my head, just waiting to get out! I’m glad you liked the resolution with Andy, too, and I hope this week’s chapter gave him the kind of respectful exit from the story he deserved. Thanks again for reviewing! Milly: Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. Jeanette: Thank you very much! It was both a thrill and a relief to finally write that chapter, haha. I’m really glad you enjoyed it! Bbbkill: Those are such great questions! Unfortunately, I can’t answer any of them without spoilers, LOL. But I can promise that the answers will be in upcoming chapters. ;-) And good catch in noticing that they haven’t labeled their relationship! That will become important very shortly. Thank you so much for your thoughtful review – and thank you, as well, for your comment on my consistency! I really appreciate that. It’s knowing that there are faithful readers waiting for the story that motivates me to get the chapters written on time. JT: Ahahaha! Definitely a champagne-worthy moment. ;-) And LOL at Ryder being such a dumbass – he really does tend to take the “honorable, morally-upright good guy” thing to ridiculous lengths at times, doesn’t he? I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for the review! Anise: Thank you so much! Dirty talk is like my ultimate bullet-proof kink, so you can expect a lot of that in future sex scenes, as well. ;-) And I’m glad you liked the way Andy handled the situation! It was important to me to not make him too much of a victim in this whole thing. Thanks again for reviewing! ReinaLorraine: Ahahaha, I’m glad you liked it so much! Thanks for the review. :-) An Admirer: Did you survive the hiatus? LOL. I hate to do that to you guys, but it was important in the interests of me not burning out on CP. I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope your inner sadist enjoyed Nate’s scene this week. ;-) Thanks for reviewing! Klen: Thank you very much for letting me know! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story (and Luca’s ass, LOL). I hope you had a great vacation! Dut: Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Angel: Thank you very much! It’s great to hear from you, and I’m so glad to know you’re enjoying the story. Cathy: They’ll try very hard to stay professional in public, LOL, and we’ll see how well that works out for them. ;-) I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing! Jen: Yeah, the Ryder/Andy situation sucks for everyone, but… you live and you learn, LOL. At least now Andy knows he needs to be with a guy he’s not afraid to call on his bullshit! I’m so happy you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for your review. :-) Midnightsscream: Oh, don’t worry, the kink is definitely coming. They just need to work their way up to it. ;-) Thank you so much for reviewing! Lisa: I think this latest chapter established what the other bodyguards think of Ryder/Luca, but as a quick summary – Georgina thinks its adorable, Candace doesn’t mind one way or the other, Siobhan isn’t a fan but thinks Ryder’s more at risk than Luca is, and Adam hates, hates, hates it but won’t interfere unless Luca asks him to. Quite a range of opinions, LOL! As for Luca and Ashton’s relationship, that’ll get some attention a few chapters from now, so I won’t give any spoilers. And yes, Nate is out on bail. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Rustaam: Aw, thank you! I’m happy to hear that. Nine: Thank you very much! That’s really kind of you to say. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story so much, and I hope it continues to live up to your lovely words! Io: Thank you! No more UST for Luca and Ryder, LOL. Of course, that just means I’ll have to put the tension elsewhere in the plot… Hitachiintwinlover: Hee! That was how I planned the Ryder/Andy breakup to go down from the very beginning, which is why I kind of giggled to myself every time readers asked me not to make it too rough on Andy. ;-) I’m glad you didn’t find it too traumatic, LOL, and that you enjoyed the Ryder/Luca sexytimes! Thank you so much for reviewing. Rosei: Thank you! I’m glad to hear that. :-) Responses to Reviews for You’ve Got A Friend In Me Scrobette: I’m glad you like Ashton! Of course I can’t promise that nothing bad happens to him in the story, LOL, but I can promise that he won’t get his heart broken or anything along those lines. Thank you so much for reviewing! Rosei: Thanks! They’re really fun to write. ;-) Lisa: Thank you! My vacation was great, and now I’m refreshed and ready to roll. I’m so glad you enjoyed Ashton’s little vignette! Anise: Thank you very much! I agree – with a little more maturity and seasoning, Ashton will become a great man. Maybe even a politician like his dad! (Though, you know, not a homophobic asshole. LOL!) I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Five Yacumo: I’ve got a huge panic attack planned for Luca in a future chapter, so don’t worry. ;-) There are a lot of reveals in the near future! Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. FortunateM: I think the Admirer’s intention is really just to scare the shit out of him as much as possible, LOL. All this self-reflection Luca’s doing is just a coincidental side effect. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thank you very much for reviewing! Milly: Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked it. Wolfwitch: I’m glad to hear you’re still on board! Thank you so much for reviewing. :-) Hitachiintwinlover: LOL! I think you’ll be okay next week, but we’ll see. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for the review! Jeanette: I’m glad you enjoyed it! Luca will definitely pull through eventually – he’s a resilient guy. :-) Thank you so much for reviewing! Midnightsscream: As you can see, there were cluebats of all kinds flying around this week! I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing. Anise: Evelyn probably should freak you out, LOL. She’s got a lot of power and the will to use it. ;-) The Admirer figuring out what happened kind of narrows the field of suspects a bit, but not much – because the mole could be almost anyone on the estate (as they all heard about the rape attempt), and there are plenty of people who know that Evelyn is capable of framing Nate. So it’s not exactly a smoking gun, LOL. But we’re getting there! Thank you so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Rosei: Thanks! I’m glad to hear it. :-) Nine: No, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime – but this isn’t about justice for Evelyn; it’s about vengeance. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Thanks for reviewing. Lisa: Thank you! I loved writing that Luca/Candace convo. Probably only a couple of people actually know for a fact that Evelyn framed Nate – but a lot more people like that would be able to connect the dots without being told. The mole told the Admirer that Nate tried to rape Luca, and the very next day, Nate gets drug-busted? Anyone who knows Evelyn relatively well would figure out the truth in a few seconds, the way both Luca and Candace did. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you liked this week’s as well! Thank you again for the review. Lisa (second review): Even if the Admirer wanted to expose Evelyn, he/she/it wouldn’t be able to. None of the people who figured out that Evelyn was behind it (Luca, Candace, the Admirer, probably a bunch more people) actually have proof – they’re just making an assumption based on what they know about Evelyn’s personality and her resources. It happens to be a true assumption, LOL, but not one that could ever get any kind of investigation off the ground. You can be sure that Evelyn covered her tracks like only the incredibly wealthy can afford to do. ;-) Lightning Strikes Multi: Aw, thank you so much! I won’t abandon the story, I promise – I already have the entire rest of the novel outlined. :-) Nitya: Thank you very much! Hee, I’m glad you like the cultural notes – I promise you that even some American readers aren’t familiar with all those acronyms and stuff. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the story! P.S. I love Reid/Morgan. ;-) Theaceofspades: I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter! Based on what you said after last week, I’m pretty sure you did, LOL. Thanks so much for reviewing! Rux: Thank you! I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. I did go check out Shadow of the Templar at your suggestion – it was well-written and had a great plot and characters, but it’s not really porny enough for me, LOL. I like my fiction soaked in as much sex as possible. (Unless it gets pornier later? I only read the first book.) Thank you again for reviewing! BRM: I’m glad to hear that! Thanks so much for reviewing. :-) Io: Thank you very much! Luca’s therapy sessions are always interesting to write, so I’m glad you enjoy them.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Four Writer11377: Ahahaha, no such luck! Sorry about that. But I’m glad you liked Ryder swooping in to save the day. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing! Moshee: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear that. :-) Jeanette: Luca’s walls are breaking down one by one. Now, if only the same could be said of Ryder, LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for your review! Naraka00: All will be revealed in time! I’m glad you’re enjoying the mystery. Thanks for reviewing! Poohkie87: LOL! I couldn’t arrange for Nate to be shot for you, but I hope you like what I did to him instead. ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing! Soo Ri: Don’t worry, it’s coming very soon! I’m glad you’re enjoying their chemistry so much. ;-) An Admirer: Ahahaha, very clever! Thank you so much for letting me know you’re enjoying the story; I really appreciate it. BTW, if you want to pay me enough for me to not have to work and go to grad school, I’d be happy to do double updates every week. ;-) Misakixusagi: Thank you! Things are going to start looking up for Luca pretty soon, never fear. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! ReinaLorraine: LOL, sorry I’m messing with your OTP! Just hang in there a little bit longer. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! (I’d love to see CP as a movie, BTW. Haha!) Midnightsscream: More Ryder time is coming up! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for your review. Dut: As upset as Luca is, he's not quite to that point yet! And he has some good stuff coming up in his future. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing, and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Milly: It's almost over, I promise! Just hang in there. :-) Thanks for reviewing! Yacumo: I hope you liked what Evelyn planned for Nate. ;-) We haven't seen the last of him, though! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing. Missellywhite: LOL! I'm glad that Luca has such a fervent defender in you. ;-) Thanks for reviewing! JT: Yeah, considering Luca's particular issues, rape is just about the worst thing that could happen to him. But he's strong – he'll get through it! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. FortunateM: It's definitely a good thing that Ryder didn't shoot Nate, because there would have been some pretty bad fallout from that. But at least he scared the hell out of him. ;-) I hope you enjoyed the aftermath! Thanks so much for your review. Mint: I did drop a few hints as to Nate's true nature, yes. Like many sociopaths, he has his charming moments, but he'll never truly be anything but a predator. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Anon: Thank you! I'm glad to hear that. Jen: Your wish will be granted very soon! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for your review. Io: Thanks! Raw and intense was what I was going for, so I'm glad to hear that. :-) Nine: Really? Nate didn’t seem like that kind of guy, even after he tried to roofie Luca at that party? LOL. Well, I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter enough to want to send me biscotti! ;-) Thank you very much. Purgatorium: Well said! Haha. Thanks for reviewing! Anise: Luca’s about to catch a break in a big way. ;-) And you’re actually right that all of this Admirer stuff is about more than just revenge! You’re the first person who’s suggested that. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for your review! Hitachiintwinlover: Luca isn’t going to stop the sex-for-power thing so much as he’s going to discover a means to fulfill that need in a way that’s both healthy and safe. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you very much for reviewing. Lisa: Addressing the condom thing – while it’s true that people can contract STDs from oral sex, it’s not as common as getting them from penetrative sex. When I started writing the story, I made the decision to exercise artistic license in writing oral sex without condoms, because (1) blowjobs with condoms aren’t sexy, and (2) neither is spitting. I want the porn to be realistic, but since this is fiction, it doesn’t have to be totally realistic. ;-) A big part of Luca’s characterization is how insistent he is on using condoms for penetration, though. On the other hand, Nate almost never uses condoms. Remember how Luca had to make him put one on when they had intercrural sex, and Nate was clearly annoyed by it? That’s because Nate doesn’t like to use them. When he was trying to rape Luca, Luca was the only one who cared that Nate wasn’t wearing a condom. It didn’t bother Nate at all. I hope that clears it up? I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Three Nemo: If you thought Luca was miserable last week, you must have hated this week! LOL. The emotional payoff is coming, though, I promise. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Writer11377: That’s what I’m hoping! The trials and tribulations will make their eventual success mean that much more. :-) Thanks so much for your review! Milly: Yay, thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter so much, and particularly that it made Ryder’s physicality more real for you. That’s fantastic to hear! Midnightsscream: It’s coming, I promise! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. :-) Yacumo: Well, now you know you were right not to like Nate. LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Nyx: Thank you! It only felt shorter because the two chapters before it were extra-long. ;-) I hope you enjoyed this week’s installment! Anise: Yeah, Luca is definitely feeling like he read Ryder wrong. Of course, we know he didn’t, and it’s only a matter of time before Luca knows that too! ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for your review! FortunateM: At this point, I’d say that Andy doesn’t feel any insecurity at all about Luca, because he can’t even fathom that Ryder might be attracted to someone so young (let alone someone he’s charged with protecting). So Luca and Andy both made some mistaken assumptions in this chapter, LOL! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Nine: I’m really glad to hear that! Thank you very much for your kind review. :-) Misakixusagi: It will indeed all work out for Luca eventually! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Pupette: I think you definitely have a point about shy, inexperienced people often getting the short end of the stick in real life, but I think mostly that depends on what other people are attracted to. For example, in CP, Ryder likes his partners bold and aggressive, which is why his relationship with Andy was doomed from the start. On the other hand, Dr. Velez (from the side story) finds Andy’s shyness very appealing, which means their relationship has more of a chance. In the end, it becomes a matter of personal preference. :-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for your thought-provoking review! JT: How do you like Nate now? LOL. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Lera: Thank you very much! That development is on its way. ;-) Lisa: Luca’s always too hard on himself these days! I blame Ryder’s influence, LOL. And yeah, he really did think that Ryder would eventually break up with his boyfriend to be with him instead. I wouldn’t say he expects Ryder to date him, per se, because he doesn’t really think that way, but he definitely expects that they’ll end up having some kind of affair. ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! Purgatorium: Do you still feel bad for Nate? ;-) Thanks so much for reviewing! Jeanette: Yep, Luca can’t fall back on his old coping mechanisms anymore now that he’s all self-aware and stuff. LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for your review! Io: You’re telling me – the rough draft is about to hit 170,000 words! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story. Thanks so much for reviewing! Jen: I responded to the comment you left on LJ, but I thought I’d just quickly thank you again for your kind review. :-) Theaceofspades: All this hurt is definitely going to catalyze some change, I promise! Just hang in there a little bit longer. ;-) Thank you very much for reading and reviewing! Olga: Thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that, and I hope you continue enjoying the story.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Two Writer 11377: LOL! I actually do have a future scene planned where Luca has a panic attack in front of Ryder, but I don’t think it counts as Ryder coming to his rescue. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reviewing! Janice: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Midnightsscream: You were right, it didn’t go particularly well. LOL! Thanks so much for reviewing. :-) Jeanette: Ryder is definitely onto something. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for the review! Naraka00: Love your theory! I can’t tell you if you’re right or not, but the upcoming chapters should give you a few more hints. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Thank you very much for your kind review. B: Luca definitely wasn’t an ass to Andy, as you’ve now seen. LOL! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. ;-) JT: I’m glad you enjoyed the chapters! By now you know that Luca didn’t hurt Andy at all, haha. I totally get your inner conflict when it comes to Luca – nothing is black and white with him; it’s all shades of gray. He’s a complicated guy! Now, Ryder won’t ever cheat on Andy, but as I said in the notes of this latest chapter, he and Luca getting together isn’t far off. But that doesn’t mean the story is almost over! There will be plenty of Ryder/Luca sexytimes before the mystery plot wraps up. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Milly: Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. ;-) Lisa: They could indeed have gotten fake passports! In fact, you’re ahead of the characters on that one. That possibility won’t be mentioned until next week’s chapter. ;-) And I love how everybody has different opinions about where the blame lies for Luca’s escapades! I tend to agree with you – that it was mostly the older men’s fault – though I do think Luca bears at least some of the responsibility, since he was old enough to know right from wrong. But then, he wasn’t old enough to have reliable impulse control, whereas all those men were. Creeps is right! And it is definitely possible that one of Luca’s ex-bodyguards is the Admirer. More on that coming up in future chapters! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. :-) Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! D’Amato has an interesting approach to parenting, LOL, but she did what she thought she had to do. ;-) Thanks so much for the review! Yacumo: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Lavcea: Looks like you might be on to something! Future chapters will reveal more hints. ;-) But just a quick note – Christianson wasn’t fired because she was homophobic (she wasn’t), but because she disapproved of Ryder and Luca being sexually involved (due to the age difference and Ryder being Luca’s bodyguard). For reasons still unknown, Evelyn didn’t want Christianson interfering. *mysterious* Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter! Anise: Evelyn’s got a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that seriously interferes with her ability to parent Luca appropriately. She loves him, but even her issues have issues, LOL. This stuff won’t come to light until near the end of the story, though. That Luca/Ashton scene was really fun to write! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s time for Luca to start realizing that he actually can use sex to fulfill his need for control in a way that’s healthy, safe, and mutually satisfying. D/s FTW! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Nyx: Thank you! Evelyn did the best she thought she could do at the time, though I’d say she probably regrets it now. I hope you enjoyed this week’s Luca/Andy face-off! FortunateM: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. The theories are flying! :-) Janelle: Thank you so much, and welcome to the story! I’m very glad to hear that you’re enjoying it, and I hope it continues to please. And thank you for your reviews on the ficlets, as well! It’s always fun to give those little extra insights into the characters that don’t fit into the main story.

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-One Cathy: Thank you very much! I'm glad to brighten up your Saturdays. Midnightsscream: Ahahaha, thanks! They'll definitely be having sex, and sooner rather than later. ;-) I'm glad you liked the chapter! Milly: I'm very glad to hear that, thank you! I do try to make sure that the story's characters have a good mix of races, ethnicities, and genders (hopefully without resorting to tokenism). I like for the world of CP to reflect the real world as much as possible! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. :-) Anon: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it – I loved writing that last scene. Io: That is so wonderful to hear! There's nothing better than knowing that readers care about the characters and what happens to them. Thank you so much for letting me know. Jeanette: The way Kyle found out about the journal will be revealed eventually, but not for a few chapters. I'm glad you enjoyed that Ryder/Luca scene; it was really fun to write. ;-) Thank you very much for reviewing! ReinaLorraine: Thank you so much! That's really awesome. I definitely hope to always keep writing – it's my biggest stress-reliever, LOL. I hope you continue enjoying the story! Iavcea: It's definitely possible! Who's on your suspect list? ;-) Lisa: LOL, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter – it was a really fun one to write. Poor Luca, though! Who knew teenage shenanigans could lead to this kind of payback? Janice: Thank you very much, and welcome to the story! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Dut: Thanks! It takes a special man to get that kind of honesty out of Luca, LOL. Anise: LOL! Once you know what's really going on, it won't seem as complicated, because it all fits together. The team just hasn't gotten there yet. ;-) Ryder really only trusts his own team – Siobhan and Candace because they've been with Luca so long, Hurst because he picked her himself, and Keller because he's so new – as well as Clarke, but whether even that trust is well-placed remains to be seen! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for the review. FortunateM: Aw, thank you so much! What a fantastic review. You sure know how to make a girl blush. ;-) I'm thrilled that you're enjoying CP so much, and I hope I continue to do justice to your kind words! Merely Truth: Bienvenue! (Did I say that right?) I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and thanks for reviewing! As for the police, there isn't really much they can do at this point – stalking cases are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute. To be honest, law enforcement can't really help people who are being stalked until they get hurt, at which point it's unfortunately often too late. So it's a good thing Luca has bodyguards! ;-) B: I’m glad you like Andy so much! I was going to point you in the direction of Beware Those Latin Lovers, but then I saw that you’d already found it. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty Missellywhite: Aw, thank you very much! It really means a lot to me that you’re enjoying the story and the characters so much. And LOL at guilting you into updating your own stories! That’s awesome. :-) The reason I started posting CP as a WIP was because I knew there was no other way I’d ever finish it – I need the pressure of knowing that people are counting on me to force me to write, haha. I’m so glad to hear how much you like CP, and thank you again for your great review! Anon: LOL, I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing. Amy: A lot of people have been guessing Clarke! There’s a scene in next week’s chapter that I think you’ll be very interested in. ;-) Thanks for the review! Kittyfd13: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know. Jeanette: If I could afford it, I’d have all my groceries delivered to my house. LOL! I hate the grocery store, but I think it would be an interesting experience if you’d never actually been in one before. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing! Kuragari: I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you very much for the review. :-) Anise: Hmm, let me ponder Andy’s perspective… He definitely knows that everything isn’t perfect with Ryder, but I think he has the same idea that Ryder has – that they just need to give it more time. The truth is that just as Ryder isn’t getting everything he needs from Andy, Andy isn’t getting everything he needs from Ryder. It’s only a matter of time before they both figure that out. :-) I’m glad you enjoyed the Ryder/Luca moments! As for the investigation, this week’s chapter and the next few are going to show some rapid progress and several revelations. I hope you enjoy them, and thanks so much for reading and reviewing! JT: Goof is the perfect way to describe Ryder’s behavior right now! But at least he’s not so goofy that the Admirer doesn’t know he’s got a big problem on his hands. ;-) Thanks for the review, and I’m always glad to be able to brighten up your Saturdays! Nemo: Thank you very much, and welcome to the story! I wouldn’t worry about Andy too much – the inevitable end of his and Ryder’s relationship probably won’t go the way you expect. ;-) Thank you again for reading and reviewing! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story. Purgatorium: LOL, I’m happy to hear that! *bounces up and down with you* Thanks so much for the review! Lisa: Interesting interpretation! I hadn’t looked at it that way, but there could also be an element of that kind of attitude on the Admirer’s part. I’m glad you enjoyed the Luca/Ryder moments! As for Keller, he may prove to be a complication for Luca and Ryder, but not in the way you’d think. ;-) Oh, and onto your second review – I think this chapter may have answered a lot of the questions you asked. But I will jog your memory by saying that Luca’s room was bugged, not videotaped. What the Admirer sent Ryder was an audio file of him and Luca hooking up; there weren’t any pictures. Hope that clears things up a little! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. A little birdy: It’s definitely not wrong! There’s a reason I write erotica, after all. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story, and don’t worry too much about Andy – things there aren’t going to go the way you might expect! Thank you so much for your reviews. :-) Io: Thank you very much! Coming up with good endings for chapters is always difficult, LOL, so I’m glad it had an emotional impact. FortunateM: I love all your theories! One of them in particular made me grin, but I can’t tell you which one without spoilers. You’ll know it when you see it. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing! Cathy: Thank you so much, and welcome to the story! I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. I update every Saturday, and there are plenty more chapters to come! Faithsins: I’m so glad to hear that! Welcome to CP. I’m really happy that you’re enjoying the story and its characters! Updates every Saturday. :-) Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers A little birdy: LOL, I’m glad you like him so much! And I definitely feel you about those Latin lovers. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Nine Misakixusagi: Don’t worry, Ryder and Luca will definitely get together – and it won’t be too much longer before that happens! Thanks for reviewing. :-) Jeanette: Yep, he’s changed a lot! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing. Midnightsscream: I do like to torture Luca a bit. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :-) Anise: It’s definitely good that Luca and Ashton are going through this – it’ll make their relationship stronger. McCall wasn’t exaggerating about Hamasaki; while Luca is very perceptive before he seduces men, he tends not to bother after he’s already done with them. LOL! Luca has skills, but he doesn’t fully grasp the extent of the effect he’s had on these men, because he never follows through afterwards. (Also, he was expelled immediately after his three biggest incidents, which means he wasn’t around to observe their effects.) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks as always for your insightful review! JT: LOL, no way would Ashton ever have sex with Nate! That doesn’t mean Nate wouldn’t try, though. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying my authorial sadism, haha, and thanks so much for your review! Mint: Luca’s confession was part exhaustion with trying to hide his past, and part unconscious self-flagellation – he feels guilty about what he did, and by admitting it to his friends, he’s allowing himself to be punished for it. Of course, that second motivation is subconscious (Luca isn’t totally aware of it). More discussion of the Admirer/Gray/the mole is coming soon! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter! Writer11377: Hehe, Nate is so much fun to write! I’m glad you like him. Thanks for reviewing! Theaceofspades: I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! Have a safe and fun trip, and I hope to hear from you when you get back. :-) Lisa: Haha! Soap operas seem to be the main way people learn about DID, amnesia, and illegitimate children. And nobody ever said Ryder’s jealousy was rational. ;-) Nate is insensitive to everyone’s feelings – he doesn’t really have a capacity for empathy, so he truly doesn’t understand why Luca is so upset. But at least we know that Luca cares! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reading and reviewing. Kuragari: Yay! Welcome to the story, and I’m so glad you like it! I hope you continue to enjoy the upcoming chapters. Thanks for reviewing! :-) Io: Thank you! It was a really fun chapter to write. I’m glad you enjoyed it! Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers Jeanette: Andy has a bad history involving being treated badly by a doctor, so his hesitancy his understandable, if a little irrational. Hopefully he’ll get over it eventually! ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you enjoyed the story so much! I know how much you love Andy, LOL. No spoilers for the main story, but at least now you know that Andy has other prospects besides Ryder! Thanks so much for reviewing. Reviews for Five Fantasies Jeanette: I’m glad you liked it! It was really fun to write. Thanks for reviewing! Misakixusagi: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I’m happy you enjoyed the ficlet. :-) Yacumo: Aw, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Lisa: Yep, that kind of distraction could be very unfortunate if there happened to be an attack on Luca while Ryder was fantasizing about him! That’s why Ryder tries to keep his on-duty fantasies to a minimum, LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed the ficlet, and thanks for reviewing! Anise: Ryder Logic! LOL, love it. This was a really fun ficlet to write, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :-) Anon: Your comment about Andy’s feelings for Ryder is very perceptive! There’s definitely an element there of, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this super-hot guy actually wants me, so I need to hang on to him.” I’m glad you feel that the story and its characters are realistic – that’s one of my major goals in writing it. Thank you so much for your kind review, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story! JT: Ryder does have a hardcore guilt complex, LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing!

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Eight Io: Sorry I didn’t get to your review last week! It came into my inbox minutes after I’d already posted the replies, LOL. Thank you for your kind words, and I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Midnightsscream: There’s definitely a lot of stuff lurking behind the scenes, and some of it is about to surface. ;-) I’m glad you liked the chapter! Yacumo: Haha, it seems like everyone loved that “stupid boyfriend” remark! LOL. Thanks for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed it! Rio: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it. Draco Volans: LOL, you’re so right – all of the Glock’s safeties automatically disengage when you pull the trigger firmly. Oops! Artistic license? I’ll avoid references to the safety in the future, and when I eventually edit the novel as a cohesive whole, I’ll keep that detail in mind for revision. Thanks for pointing that out, and thanks for reading! Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you liked Luca’s takedown of Kyle! It was really fun to write, haha. And if you’re concerned about Andy, make sure you read the ficlet I just wrote about him. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reading and reviewing! Wolfwitch: Love the speculations! Keep ‘em coming, and thanks so much for reviewing! JT: Ryder isn’t really jealous of Luca’s past lovers for two reasons – first, he knows Luca didn’t care about them at all, and second, the whole thing kind of grosses him out. LOL! Not because of Luca’s promiscuity, but because of the icky ethical issues of grown men having sex with a sixteen-year-old. Ryder has enough trouble dealing with his own desire for Luca now, when Luca’s a legal adult and Ryder’s only 10 years older. Glad you’re enjoying the mystery and Luca’s scandalous past! There’s more Andy coming soon, too, so never fear. Thanks for reviewing! Lisa: Luca is too firmly convinced that he’s imagining being watched to share that feeling with any of his bodyguards. And I won’t even confirm that he’s not imagining it. ;-) I will, however, say that the mole and the Admirer are not the same person. I’m glad you guys are enjoying the mystery so much that you have all these awesome guesses and speculations! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :-) Jeanette: No spoilers, but I’m glad you’re enjoying the mystery! Plenty more to come. ;-) Thanks for reading! Purgatorium: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for reviewing. Anise: I love reading everyone’s theories! *evil cackle* Seriously, some people are actually getting close – but nobody would be able to guess the full truth at this point, because not all of the hints have been dropped yet. ;-) I did confirm to another reader above that the mole and the Admirer aren’t the same person, so that’s your hint for this week. LOL! And OMG, I do have to admit to a bit of author self-insertion in the way Luca told off Kyle, because Kyle’s attitude is my absolute biggest pet peeve in slash fiction, as well as in real life. As you said, it’s especially disturbing when you see that kind of belief system in fiction written by women! *feminist rage* But I needed Luca to have some kind of victory over Kyle – if you already read this week’s chapter, you’ll know why – and that’s the kind of thing that would really irritate him, so I rolled with it. Hee! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks as always for your fantastic review! Unneeded: He is indeed! Not a good sign for Luca, is it? ;-) Thanks for reading! Reviews for The Doctor Is In Jeanette: Thank you! It is a little sad, isn’t it? Good thing we know that Luca ends up with a handsome, devoted bodyguard. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed it! Unneeded: Probably my favorite way I’ve ever ended a story. LOL! I’m glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing. Theresa: Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that – characterization is the most important element of any story to me. I’m really happy you enjoyed it! :-) Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers Amy: Velez hit the nail on the head when he said Andy had been wronged by a doctor in the past. I haven’t given the backstory of it much thought beyond that, but if you meet the requirements for requesting a birthday ficlet, you could always give me that as a prompt! Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Anonagain: I do have some more ideas about Andy and Velez, but they’d create spoilers for the main story if I told you them right now. ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing! Writer11377: Yeah, Andy’s bad past experiences have created a bias he has trouble overcoming. I’m glad you enjoyed the story, and thanks for reviewing! :-) JT: You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Apparently I have some kind of literary kink for characters being stubborn and not letting themselves have what they really want, LOL. TinaHeart: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. :-) Lisa: Ahahaha! Don’t worry, they’ll clean up and sanitize the shelves. ;-) I actually have to support Andy on his general “no doctors” rule, especially since he’s a nurse – having worked for many years in a healthcare environment, I can tell you that relationships between doctors and nurses who work together usually carry that power imbalance home with them. It’s not healthy. But of course there’s always exceptions to the rule, and Velez should be one of them! Hopefully Andy will see that eventually. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Anise: Ah, but you’re assuming that Ryder is going to break up with him. ;-) This ficlet ended up being much more fun to write than I initially thought it was going to be, and it really gave me better insight into Andy’s life. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing! Southwind: We’ll see what happens! ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing!