Dear author, I hope you don't take it the wrong way when I tell you that - having read this twice through - I don't think, even with all of the love on the page, that I can ever bear to read it again. Good job!

the hatred of public display he developed while undercover in Las Vegas years ago has only deepened over time

I like this idea - it makes a lot of sense, overall, and it fits this *particular* Ray very well.