Chapter Forty Two

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Trigger warning

Harry's POV

"You what?" Meredith asks with wide eyes.

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous. I don't know how she's going to react once she has all the information, but I have to tell her before the cops show up.

"I shot him," I repeat myself.

"You killed him?" she whispers. I nod my head wearily. She takes me by complete surprise and bursts into loud laughter. I laugh along with her, but out of nervousness.

"I'm sorry, it's just," she wipes her eyes. "I was there for what – a week? And after all that time of wishing him dead, you come in there and blow his brains out right before I'm killed. Wow, that's – talk about good timing, Haz." She chuckles a little more before sadness takes over her features again.

My chest constricts as I look at her. I know she's trying to be fine, but it's just not possible right now.

"Mer," I clear my throat. "Is that how long you think you were gone? A week?"

"Yeah?" she asks in confusion. "Am I wrong?"

"Baby... you were gone for almost three weeks," I choke out.

She casts her eyes toward her lap and nods her head solemnly. I glance at the clock and mutter under my breath in frustration.

"Look, I wish we didn't have to deal with this right now. And I wish I could just hold you and tell you everything is alright, but the police will be here any second. And I need to make sure we're on the same page," I say softly, but with a serious undertone.

"Y-Yeah, don't worry about it." She smiles weakly.

Right on cue, two men in uniforms walk into the room. I can't help but feel anxious. I don't regret killing Jacob in the slightest, and I would do it a million times over. But I also refuse to be put in jail over it. I was protecting Meredith. He hurt her. The bastard deserved it and so much worse.

"Hello Miss Tomlinson. I'm Officer Cameron and this is Officer Davis," the taller of the two speaks. "Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

It's not like she has a choice.

"Sure," Meredith answers quietly.

They start off by asking about the day she was taken. It physically hurts me to think about it. She must have been so scared. And even though both Zayn and Jacob are dead, I can't help but want to end their lives a second time.

When the Officers get into the details of when she was trapped in that house, her voice begins to falter. They look at her with pity, obviously something she doesn't want. I hold her hand tightly and bring it up to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

"Were you raped?" Officer Cameron asks quickly, like it pains him to talk about it.

Meredith shakes her head, a tear rolls down her cheek.

"Can you describe the sexual abuse that did take place?"

She first looks at me and then at the Officers.

"Do I have to?" she protests. Officer Davis nods.

"I'm sorry, Miss. It's for official police record. Take all the time you need."

I run my thumb across her knuckles soothingly. She looks at me with watery eyes and I nod, silently telling her that it'll be okay.

"He – Mr. Carter – touched me the first night I was th-there. But he mostly just um, like grinded on me and he m-made me do things... for him." Meredith stops, but the Officers give her a look, telling her to keep going. "I h-had to, you know..."

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