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Searching her face, she was watching me intently, trying to figure out the inner workings of my mind by simply staring. What was Ray to me? I was starting to fear she simply represented something beyond what she physically was. Maybe to me she was an embodiment of destructive forces that took innocent lives with them as they went.

Except this time, I had fooled myself into thinking I could stop them.

Without her, I’d have to find something else to focus on.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “Let me wash up.”

My thoughts continued to wander as I followed her between the cars, stepping over tools and small pools of blood. When we found a bathroom, she turned the tap on over the sink, and I shoved my hands under the blast of icy water.

After a beat, Ray said, “Hey, army chick, surely you’ve seen blood before?”

I stood there, staring blankly at my hands while the water rushed around my fingers, making no attempt to get soap or even rub them together, simply letting the water run from red to pink. Still lost in my thought, being dragged back and forth from one conclusion to the next, every one left me lost and not knowing which direction to take.

“Here,” she said, shoved me to the side, and stood in front of the sink before grabbing my hands and washing them under the flowing water.

“I don’t need you to—” But she shushed me, lathering up the soap and working it between my fingers and over my wrists.

“When I’m done here, wanna get a drink?” Ray asked.

Giggling when I stared at her, she simply shrugged and continued washing my hands before turning the tap off and snatching up a paper towel to dry them. Taking it from her, I finished drying myself. I’d already let her get too close.

“How about we go for a drinkwithoutyou burning this place down?”

Grinning at me, she waved a finger in my face. “You can’t control me that easy. The fire is my favorite part.”

“I would’ve thought the beating up the bad guys was your favorite part?”

“They’re all my favorite parts.” She smirked. “So, how about that drink?”

“Maybe another time.”

“Wanna fuck?”

“You keep suggesting that like it’s going to happen.”

Ray bit her lip and raised her eyebrows at me. “That’s not a no.”

“No, Ray.”

“Aw, you’re no fun.”

This wasn’t news to me.

“Are you like this with everyone?” I asked her.

Pausing, she tilted her head. “Nope, only you.”

“Why?”

“I like your stubbornness and your morals and loyalty even though they’re misguided. And there’s something so fun about fucking with you.”

“Thanks,” I pushed the word out through gritted teeth.

She giggled. “You’re welcome.”

“Let’s go.” When I turned to leave, she grabbed my arm and spun me around, frowning now.

“Ilsa, I’m going to burn this place down, okay?”