I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Until the landslide brought it down
Metro Southeast - 11:30 PM
Shivering under the inadequate cover of an old jeans jacket, Cruz briefly closed his eyes and tried to come up with one good reason why he was doing this. The girl had money; she had family; she had friends. He didn’t have money; he wasn’t part of her family; and he grumpily wondered if he wanted to be her damned friend.
The street was quiet. A little bit of snow and the whole place shut down. The good thing about that was he’d have plenty of work as a consequence. Those South Beach people ran off the road, bottomed out the sports cars, drove the SUV’s into each other. Putting work aside, he tried to wake up and focus on where Rayne might be - same place the rest of them went after totaling their rides, one of the few bars still open tonight. He didn't know where she was but he could make an educated guess.
He started for the parking lot behind the garage, planning on borrowing one of the cars instead of using his bike, when he glanced across the avenue toward Chang’s. He'd start there and walk north through Chinatown. He couldn't think of a better option, and at least the alley was partially covered.
Cruz shoved his hands into pockets that were too small, stepped off the curb and quickened his pace into a half run, as if he could outrun the cold. He'd give this crazy search an hour, give her an hour. After that, Rayne Stanfield was on her own.
**
“Gabe,” the woman said. "We don't have time for this. We're already late." She was standing right next to the man and she sounded annoyed. She sounded like her mother. Rayne shifted her hands on the slick sidewalk, trying not to fall on her face. Her heart was racing. Running and running and running for the finish line now. It was him. It was finally, finally him.
“It's you!” Rayne gasped. “I knew you were alive!”
He got to his feet, dusting off his own hands, and he shrugged and said, “I’m going to deal with this first.” He wasn’t talking to her. He was talking to the woman.
Rayne sat down, slid, grabbed at his leg. He moved away, out of reach, not far but just out of reach she couldn't reach him couldn't touch him, and he didn't, he still didn't look at her.
"I remember you!" she started shouting, screaming, because he would look down, she knew he would because he'd said her name. "I remember you too! Did you come back for me?”
He finally glanced down at her, then halfway knelt, taking care with his jeans, and studied her curiously, reaching out and touching her chin with cold fingers. “You remember me?” And he smiled and shook his head. “You were a very little girl, Rainie.”
He knew her. He remembered. A wave of relief swept through her. It was going to be all right. “I’ve been trying to find you for years! I never forgot you! You said, you said don’t forget and you gave me….you gave me a sword!” she stammered.
“Oh for gods sake this is ridiculous,” the woman snapped and turned and looked back the way they had come before she stared back down at Rayne. “Call 911 if you’re so concerned about some piece of sidewalk trash. She’s obviously drunk.”
Gabe looked aside, over his shoulder. “She certainly is. We have a few minutes to spare. I don’t know if I can reach Camilla tonight, but I intended to contact her while we’re here. If I can reach her, she can take care of it. If I can’t, I’ll turn her over to whoever answers 911.”
The woman glared at him. “You said nothing to me about contacting Camilla.”
He smiled again. “You’re right, sweetheart. I didn’t.” He started to his feet, adding an order. “Hand me the phone.”
This could not be happening, this was not the way she remembered him, was it really him? It was, it had to be, but this was wrong. This was terribly wrong. Frantic, Rayne lurched up, fell again, and cried out, “Camilla? Why would you do that? Don’t you remember what you said? Don’t you remember about the sword? Aren’t you going to take me with you?”
He paused and looked back down at her, his expression calm and cool and strange. “No Rainie. I don’t remember anything about a sword, and I am definitely not taking you with me. You’re a liability; that’s never going to happen.”
Rayne fell back, the tears loose and hot and threatening. All this time, her whole life, and none of it was true? “I’m not! You can’t!” she begged. “Please!”
She heard footsteps behind her. Someone shouted, a familiar voice yelling, “Hey! Back off!” Gabe looked up. The woman looked up too and muttered, “Wonderful. We’ve got a good Samaritan joining us.”
Gabe drew a long, visible breath, and exhaled, his warm breath pluming in the cold air, and his smile widened and flashed. He shoved the cell back in his pocket. “So we do,” he said quietly. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one with the sword.”
He’d caught only a few words of the exchange, enough to know that whatever fantasy Rayne had about some dream guy, improbably, unbelievably, here he was. And he was, as Cruz had suspected, an asshole.
He leaned over, touched Rayne’s shoulder, her hair, and assured her, “It’s ok. It’s going to be ok, Rainie.”
She made an awful little sound like a cat mewing in pain. He couldn’t tell if she even heard him. She was even more wasted than she’d been the last time he’d found her. Yeah the whole dream guy deal was asinine, but the son of a bitch didn't need to kick her when she was down like this, like stomping on a sick kitten.
Infuriated, Cruz stepped around her and got right up in the jerk’s face. “So you’re the famous Gabe. What the hell are you, some kind of perverted freak? You like little girls? What’d you do to her when she was a kid? I ought to rip your fucking face right off your skull!”
He had a woman with him, and she stood there with her mouth open, then stepped back a couple of inches. Famous Gabe crossed his arms and took his time, letting it go like he hadn't even heard him. “You are remarkably like your mother,” he said at last. “She was always chasing what she could never catch.”
Rainie was staggering around behind him. He heard her grab the fire escape, the clink of her rings against the rusted steel. It was cold out here. Cold and dark and he was tired and this prick was working the mother card? “Try that on someone who gives a damn,” he shot back. “It sure as hell isn’t me. I never knew her or my father. Don’t fuck with me man. Don’t do it. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but you don’t want to go there with me.”
“Get me out of here,” Rainie whispered.
“I will babe, hang on.” Cruz tightened his grip on her arm, then turned and looked back. The man was still there, still looking back at him, the same cool smile on his face, blonde bitch at his side, still ignoring her and looking right back at him.
“Take good care of that princess, Cruz,” he finally called out, laughter that rang and echoed off the walls and through the snow that clung to his hair and his coat. Cruz couldn’t tell if that was snow in his hair or streaks of gray. “And you turned out better than I had any reason to expect,” Gabe added before he shook off the snow and turned his back and walked away.
----------------
NEXT CHAPTER: Rising Above Chapter 11
44 comments:
Oh man! Oh man!! Face to face time and it wasn't what anyone expected! Me included! I feel bad for Rayne but maybe this is the wake up call she needs to realize that she lives in the present and let go of the past!
I'm glad that your game worked well enough to get out an update!:) And that last shot is just great Beth! You captured a lot of emotions in Cruz's face!
LOL Phoenix! Yeah, I know it wasn't what anyone expected. Don't know if that's good or bad. But that's Gabe.
Rayne got slammed all right. I don't have a HUGE amount of sympathy for her, but I do have some.
Cruz has something to think about...
thank you so much!!!
OMG!! Those last two pictures? Freaking gold. Just, perfect, PERFECT vignettes of those two characters. Gabe looking just over his collar, smiling that cold, confident smiling as always... and Cruz. Looking so battered and worn, but strong and unwilling to give in despite it. It's so weird, like some sort of messed up mirror in a fun house. I know how hard you've been working towards this... and it was amazing. Truly.
Of course, Gabe isn't going to take her anywhere. He never was. She was there, he was feeling kind, and so it was. It ended there with him, but not her. Poor Rayne, it can't be hard to realize that your fantasy is a lie... but she needed this. She really did.
Gabe is such a shadow. Always there where you least it expect it, always hiding around a corner in the background when you're too focused on other people.
I don't have any doubt he'll resume that... but I wonder if Cruz will realize WHO he is? Hmm, hmm.
Also, your hood is amazing! Those street views? Wow!
Well, This was great, amazing showdown. 'The famous Gabe', true to form. He certainly seems to know all about Cruz, but never bothered to look him up all those years? Wow, but so Gabe.
Cruz went up a few notches in my book, his grudging reluctance to look for Rayne, he does care, whether he knows it or not.
'like stomping on a sick kitten' great, great line.
shots are great, the snow adds to the bleakness of the whole situation.
Well done.
Mao, thank you. The hood is a monster, but when I can use it, it sure does come through!
No Gabe never was going to do anything with Rayne, and he didn't waste any time thinking about her. He wasn't going to walk over her this time either, but take any real chances for her? No way. Never.
Cruz isn't much like his father. I really like him. He wasn't going to trot all over town looking for Rayne either.
And I'm so glad those last two shots worked. It felt good.
thank you...
Yeah, Drew, Gabe would have made it his business to know about Cruz. He doesn't like surprises. And, just like Gabe, he would not have bothered to do anything about it.
Cruz is no push over, that's for sure.
I'm glad the snow worked! I love the way it looks there! I hope the shots work. Half way through taking them, I was griping about getting stuck in one place the whole time. The snow did help.
Yes! Yes, yes, yes!!!! The showdown! Finally Gabe and Cruz in the same place; a father/son tag team of sexiness. I love it!
I can not believe that Rayne is this bad off; she's almost babbling she's so drunk and boderline delusional. This is not how she imagined things would go at all. This is really going to mess her up even more. He called her a liability..ohhh.
And his reaction to Cruz, so casual and almost flippant. Daring to mention his mother as if Cruz would have any idea about that. The tension between them was almost too much. Same old Gabe.
Wonderful writing as always and I love the shots in this update. You always find the perfect angle to shoot; adds so much drama. I'll be ruined now until I find out what happens next :)
Muzegoddess, Rayne invested so much in this, it took on a life of its own. She lost all perspective, particularly after Ryan. This was the one who was going to make it all better. Fix everything.
Obviously not.
Gabe is Gabe. He's capable of kindness. But flippant? Yes. He always was, even as a child. Would he go out of his way to do anything for Cruz? I'm not sure.
It was a bear to take shots in that space on a sidewalk next to a building. But since I was able to salvage my city, at least I could get some views in the other direction.
Thank you. The writing is always problematic for me. Illusive. I couldn't do it until I decided to use both Cruz and Rayne and try to make it work.
That was explosive!! I am at a loss for words!
Cruz to the rescue!
Gabe is a asshole but you gotta love him for that! Seeing them together shows just how much they really do favor each other! Oh man I definitely can't wait for the next update! Rayne is crushed and Cruz has to be confused!
Hey Qui! I fought this one so hard. Gabe is a very powerful character, and his voice comes through so clearly. Yes he is a total asshole!
They do favor each other. A lot.
Cruz is definitely confused. He's his father's son though. I'm betting he'll figure it out.
Whether Rayne will think that's a wonderful thing is another matter.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! This was hard for me, so I really appreciate it.
Heartbreaking. This pulled some emotions from me that I didn't expect considering I knew what was going on. If Rayne was shattered with booze, she will be even more so now, physically and emotionally. It is a devastating thing to find out that you spent so much time chasing a dream, a shadow, a phantom memory that was nothing like you believed. How could she have known at that age that Gabe was nothing like what she thought?
In truth, for all of Rayne's physical maturity, she is still a child. And now the one thing she clung to for salvation after all she has done and been through was a lie.
No surprise that Gabe is as cavalier as ever. Bitchy blonde in tow. I would have paid good money to see Cruz rip his face off. But right now, once it all sinks in, Cruz is going to remember what Gabe said and track down the truth. Gabe is right, he turned out very well in spite of his dna.
I know this was an important piece and how hard you struggled and fought to get it out there. Believe me, this piece is incredible, compelling and emotional. Every detail and angle in the shots told a story of their own but the raw tragedy here is what jumped out and grabbed me. Fantastic job Beth.
Side note: That last shot of Cruz just jumps out at you, you can see his mother in him there clear as a bell. I think he has his grandfather's cheek bones!
Gah! Hope that makes sense! I am posting from work.
I hope that came though, Gayl. She is a child emotionally. Clinging to a dream. And it is hard, so horribly hard to give up your dreams, much less have them thrown in your face.
Gabe was never going to react any other way. He's not a monster, but he has very little time or empathy for anyone who gets in his way. Bitchy blonde in tow, he'd spend a few minutes on Rayne. Not much.
I think Cruz intrigued Gabe. I also think it goes too far to say that Gabe had any particular preference for how his son turned out, but he was unexpected.
Cruz will remember it. And he will try to track down the truth.
He does look a lot like Amanda, doesn't he? And I never thought about it, but yes, he does have his grandfather's cheekbones.
This one did just about do me in. For a lot of reasons. Thank you Gayl. Wouldn't have made it without the support and you know it...
O Gabe...you asshole. Lol but what more can you expect. Its funny how you reminded us that Gabe is NOT the good guy. I definetly forgot that he started out as the ass in the beginning and you just reminded me. Definetly something that needed to be put back in perspective.
I like how Cruz never even saw the resemblence in their faces because he was so mad. Thats totally adorable. You go Cruz.
Gabe hasnt aged a bit. Faking your death seems to be the fountain of life.
I do hope with this interaction with Gabe and the guaranteed upcoming altercations she pulls herself back together. Its time for her to grow up. Besides that her brothers could use her in their life more often. I'm sure their view of the world is as jaded if not more than hers.
And as gross as it may seem looking at both Gabe and Cruz with Rayne I couldnt help but picture a threesome :D
I've been waiting for the meeting between Cruz and Gabe and you didn't disappoint! Their reactions were unexpected, yet still true to their characters. Eagerly awaiting the next time they run into each other! :D
Rayne just has so much growing up to do. I have some sympathy for her, but girl's gotta realize that you can't find the answers at the bottom of a bottle.
Great work! :)
SCREAMING!!! OMG!! Ok Sinclair, you get the prize! A threesome with Gabe and Cruz and Rayne... :D
Gabe is NOT the good guy. Never has been. Never will be. He has his moments. But he is who and what he is. He might have a few gray hairs.
Cruz was furious. Notice a resemblance? Furthest thing from his mind. At the end when he turned back and looked, after Gabe's parting shot, he might have. He is, after all, his father's son.
Rayne has a lot to deal with now. Growing up or going down even farther, either is possible. But you're right, her brothers aren't in a happy place either. They've seen more than they should have. And that's something you reminded me about that I might have forgotten.
Thank you SO MUCH!!! LOVE your comments!!
Dinuriel, I am so glad it didn't disappoint! I know it wasn't what was expected. You have such deep and thoughtful relationships between your characters, so that is a huge compliment for me.
Gabe and Cruz may not even meet again. Gabe doesn't control the world though, no matter what he thinks, so perhaps they will.
Rayne has some hard growing up to do. And she will probably do it alone.
Thank you so much!
Oh oh! This update was so tense. Between Gabe's assholery and Cruz's anger and the breaking of Rayne, all three of those coming together hurts so good.
I think I'm more in love with Cruz now after this. Clearly, he doesn't take shit from anyone. He is awesome.
And I'm glad you say you don't have much sympathy for Rayne, 'cause then I don't feel bad for feeling the same. Girl needs to pull herself together! But I'm worried that it can only get worse from here.
I can see why this entry was hard to write, but you pulled it off flawlessly. Love the small details, the sound of her rings on the rusty fire escape, the snow in the hair. Perfect!
Oh, and I have to second Mao. The street views/backdrop for all the pictures is just amazing!
LunarFox, thank you. You were someone I was anxious to hear from. I really struggled with this.
My sympathy for Rayne is very limited. But I do understand her, and you're right, it will get worse, not better.
Cruz is indeed awesome. He's not indestructible and he doesn't think he is. He knows his limitations. I think he might underestimate himself.
I always hear and see more than I write down. The snow in the hair and the rings, thank you so much for noticing those.
I was so concerned about losing the street. It is a lot more complicated to build than it might seem to be. Lachesis gave me a way to save it, and I don't know if she'll see this I definitely owe her.
Thank you LunarFox. Writing is difficult for me, so I appreciate it more than I can express.
Yay! The new update! Have to agree with everyone that the last few shots were perfect! What is going to happen to rayne now? And will we find out how gave survived, what he's been doing and who that blonde chick is? Gag! So many new questions emerge!
OK, I am in awe. In a million years, I'll never take pictures like that AND your writing is amazing.
I love the snowy seedy cold city setting, Rayne's reality.
I read this at work so I couldn't hear the music. PERFECT song choice. Totally captues where Rayne is right now. My favorite Stevie Nicks song ever!!
Muzegoddess, that's my favorite Stevie Nicks song too. I've been hoping I'd find a way to use it!
Francesca Dean, hi and thank you so much for reading and taking the time to leave a comment!
*blushing*...I didn't do much with these shots at all. They're not Photoshopped or anything like that. Sure you could take pictures like that, if you want to. Everybody has their own style, and a lot of people do a much better job than I do. But I am SO flattered!!
I love the city setting. It makes all the difference!
Again, thank you! And I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work!
Hi Whymust!
What happens to Rayne depends, to some extent, on what happens to the people around her, including Cruz.
Gabe is sort of a man of mystery. I don't have any plans to put him back on center stage again. And he's always got some girl. This particular one was actually born in the game to a couple I'm probably not going to reveal LOL.
Thanks so much for the compliment on the shots! It means a lot to me!
Okay, now I get why you stress over your shots...because it's hard to top that! I mean seriously, are you kidding?!!!! The last two = perfection! I mean, I could feel it, I was there with them on that cold street, getting all excited from the tension in the air. Come on, a showdown like that, two gorgeous guys with steely blue eyes, doesn't get any better than that!
And okay, a little sorry for Rayne here, I can't imagine the depression she's going to go through now that her dreamboat has been shattered by reality.
This was incredible, really. I'm still in awe, not even able to find the words.
Emily, thank you.
Well I compare myself to the best, and I'm always finding something I don't like in what I come up with. Not a good idea! I freeze up.
I'm so happy you like it. I've been working toward this for so long, trying to figure out a way to make it work. The point of view threw me since I felt I had to show how both Rayne and Cruz felt. Separating it like this, well I'm glad it seems to work!
I wish Cruz had knocked Gabe through the freaking wall, but that wasn't going to happen LOL!
Rayne's whole reality has been ripped apart. Although she has certainly behaved badly, and my sympathy is limited, I do understand how she feels. Right now she's leaning on Cruz. Wonder how that's going to work if/when she finds out who he really is....
again, I really appreciate the support. Getting positive feedback makes all the difference.
I hate to say it, but that was exactly the Gabe that Rayne needed to meet - not the shining knight of her dreams, but the arrogant, self-interested pric...man that he really is. Now at least she can start on that long, hard road of healing.
I don't believe Cruz for a minute, stop looking for her? I suspect he would have found an excuse to stretch that hour out into a couple at least.
Gorgeous neighbourhood, you really worked some magic with that hood.
Yeah Goodbye_Sun, that's exactly who Rayne needed to meet. The arrogant selfish reality, not some fairy tale prince. At one point, when I was working through who she was, I wasn't sure she was going to survive it. I think she will though. She's got her own reserves of self-interest.
LOL you think? Yeah, Cruz probably would have rationalized stretching out that hour!
I fought the game hard to keep that neighborhood. It's like another character and one I cannot easily recreate.
Thank you so much! For the support, for everything.
So I finally read everything and I am HOOKED on the world you guys have created.
Rayne is probably my favourite character, but Cruz is fast becoming a big love of mine. Poor Rainie, this chapter was really the blow she always had coming but it's utterly devastating for her.
Cruz really is a lot more honourable than his father, and it'll be interesting to see how he develops in the light of all of this....
Wow! Woke up this morning and read your note, Rad, and I was just thrilled! Our world isn't to everybody's taste, and the work is so long, we're always extremely pleased and excited when someone finds it and likes it!
Rayne is such an interesting character to work with. And Cruz...yeah. He's just an absolute doll, a far better man than his father. He's definitely going to get more air time as this whole thing continues to develop.
Again, we are both so pleased, and so appreciative that you took the time to read everything and to let us know what you think. THANK YOU!!
If my jaw could literally drop to the floor, it would. The last shot of Cruz is haunting my memory as I'm writing this comment. I don't know how you managed to catch that look on his face..pure perfection.
I think it's safe to say that we've been awaiting this encounter for some time now. I know you put a lot of sweat and tears into this update, and, let me tell you, it shines through like the early morning sun.
Wow..I just can't get over those last few shots..
Oh, and the snow..perfect effect and tone for this piece. I wish I could find another word for perfect! AHH!
This piece gave me chills.
Spectacular.
Xtina! oh thank you! most of the sweat and tears went into coming up with the concept without violating POV. And I wanted to save my hood. I am so grateful to Lachesis for helping me do that. I'd started rebuilding, but the hood is so complex it was very discouraging.
thank you so much - I'm so glad you liked it!
I finally caught up! I couldn't stop myself! I was dying to see what happened with this next part! Lol!
And you didn't disappoint! That was... Wow! Really an explosive scene! The closeup shots of the two men were amazing! You could really see the resemblances between them! I loved that last one of Cruz turning back for one last look. I wonder what exactly he was thinking...
Unsurprisingly, Gabe hasn't changed his ways one bit. He's still the same self-centered cad we remember from before, although, I suspect the blond bimbo with him may have had something to do with his lacking show of interest.
This is just the sort of rude awakening that Rayne needed - her dreams about him were totally unrealistic. She chose the road of hard knocks, and boy, is she getting it. I hope she can set it all aside and start putting her life back together.
Now that Cruz has encountered his father, I wonder what will happen next. Will he want to find out more about his family history and about what happened between his parents? Time will tell! : )
I'm so glad you liked it, Colliegirl.
Gabe was never going to disrupt his life by taking on a basket case like Rayne. He hesitated. He took the time to make sure she didn't die there on the sidewalk. That was it, though. He may have gone a little further if the blonde wasn't present but it would not have been much further. Rayne's desperation alone would have been enough to scare him off.
Cruz has a lot to think about. When he stopped and looked back, heard Gabe's parting remark about how he turned out, heard Gabe call him by name when he had not introduced himself, nor did Rayne use his name...well. There was no mistaking the physical resemblance between the two men, was there? He'll have some questions, no doubt about it.
Rayne has a very difficult road ahead of her. She got there on her own and made some extremely selfish choices. If she thought she deserved payback for what she did to Ryan, she certainly got it.
thank you! I've been planning this for about a year so I'm very pleased it works!
OH MAN!!! Wow this was great! I can't believe Cruz doesn't see a resemblance though...
but POOR RAYNE!! I feel badly that she was forced to face reality in this way, but maybe this was good for her? Only time will tell though.
Wonderful wording, Beth... I loved the little details like "... stepped off the curb and quickened his pace into a half run, as if he could outrun the cold." That's so honest... so true to life!! :)
Hi Christi!
Cruz probably did notice but shoved that detail aside for the moment. He's already aware that something is going on, he just couldn't do anything about it right then and there. Or didn't want to.
yeah Rayne got it between the eyes. Gabe's casual and dismissive treatment was nothing like she expected. Stray puppy treatment, not the ecstatic moment of recognition she'd been dreaming about.
thank you so much!!
Amazing!!!! Wow!!!
Cruz is so angry to see beyond his nose... of course he wont see the resemblance now... gosh.. I wish he had seen it...
and Rayne... oh gosh poor little girl... she so devastated...but that is what she gets for chasing after Gabe... I really feel so very soory for her.. I just want to hold her...
even with all her money, her family and friends, she is still all alone on Christmas eve.... but that's the way she wanted it to be... what the way she made it.... hopefully this will open her eyes and will help her focus on the road ahead of her... if she keeps on the same road.. she will end up really bad and she is way too pretty and too rich to be a drunkwhore....
Absolutely breathtaking!!!
Powerful and amazing beyond words!!
Bravo!!!
S@ndy, Cruz will put it together, no doubt.
Rayne left tire tracks all over other people in her determination to get what she wanted. Well she found him. Karma's a bitch...
Where she goes from here depends on what she does with this revelation. Some women duck into denial and simply focus on another 'prince'.
And she's not quite alone. She's got Prince Jr with her LOL.
Thank you so much!!!
I don't know whether it's better or worse for a person to be piss drunk on the night that their dreams die.
And Cruz looks so eerily similar to Gabe. It's a wonder that Cruz wasn't taken aback, even with the age difference. He's like Gabe's mini-me.
Yowza. I know he's a sim but I so want to grab Cruz's butt. It's like beckoning to me.
Hey Pen!
Personally, I'd rather save the piss drunk for the night AFTER. Or the hour after.
Cruz noticed; he's already unpleasantly suspicious about 'Gabe', particularly after Camilla demanded his family tree. He's young and he was mad, so that didn't make it past the testosterone front that blew through. Give him a couple of hours and he'll think about it.
HAHAHA!!! He's one very sweet package all right!
OH WOW!!! So what is Gabe upto? and how interesting that he is trying to put himself out of her mind and the woman hmmm... Just what is going on here.
Although I loved Cruz being the one with the sword, intense scenes there and the screens, expressions etc just added all that much more! Did Cruz recognize Gabe or no? and if he did...
Great Update as always!!!
Hi Cherie!
It is not unlike Gabe to have a woman with him. I don't know if I'd say he was trying to put himself out of Rayne's mind. He was surprised she remembered him. Gabe's not going to become a major player again, so his reasons for being there may remain a mystery.
Cruz didn't recognize Gabe since he had never seen him before, but he did notice the resemblance. And he did pick up on Gabe's parting remark.
thank you so much and hope all is well with you!
And the glass shatters. Welcome to reality Rayne. But I feel so horrible for her. Gabe is such an asshole. I wonder though if Rayne saw his true form, since she's so wasted.
Cruz is my new hero. But both him and Rayne have serious issues and their relationship, or what comes of it is seems just as destructive. But then again, he seems to be the only constant, stable yet potentially destructive thing in her life.
What a showdown between father and son! In looks Cruz is definitely his father's son but he seems to have more substance than our roguish Gabe :-D
Awesome shots as always.
Thank you Valpre!
Rayne saw one side of Gabe, the larger side. He's capable of kindness but he certainly doesn't let it get in his way. It is very rare for him to behave unselfishly.
Cruz is a doll. Although there's a lot of heat between him and Rayne, they probably are not the best mix. He's exasperated and protective. She's selfish, immature and fractured.
I had fun with these shots! Thank you!!
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