"You're shaking," he noted, his voice sounding like it had been dragged over gravel. It wasn't a question, just a fact he was throwing out there to see if she'd bolt.
Arlen let out a breath that caught in her throat, her eyes darting over his features—the busted nerves and the parts that hadn't quite knitted back together yet. "I'm not gonna break, Xavier. Just... do it. I've been thinking about this shit since we left the prison, and I'm not leaving this room until it happens".
Xavier didn't make her wait anymore. He adjusted himself between her legs, his knees forcing her thighs wide as he hovered over her, his damaged face inches from hers. He didn't hide the scars or the half-healed nerves; he just watched her eyes, making sure she was seeing exactly who was about to take her.
