Warning: Extreme offensive, prejudice ignorance ahead. Proceed with caution.
"So, what's the problem here huh?" Harry challenged in a deep, cynically amused voice, a dark grin on his face as he played and spun the handle of the sledgehammer in his hand, the other hand holding his suit jacket over his shoulder while he paced in front of the Todd family.
No one said a word and for once, I was actually thankful to be near Harry on the opposite side from them.
He had moved us all upstairs into the previous room I had just showed the family before for reasons unknown to me as I anxiously watched his little interrogation in silence.
"What, cat got your tongue? All of a sudden you can't talk shit now?" Harry leered in a taunting voice, circling the family and mockingly flicking Mr. Todd's tie in the process who flinched at the contact.
Harry then shifted his attention to Mr. Todd's wife, towering behind her, invading the personal space each person had, making every individual squirm with discomfort just by his heavy gaze alone as he slowly strode in front of her stiffly thin frame, raising the sledge hammer and lifting the pearl necklace over her collar bones with the metal end.
"Maybe the Mrs. has something to say." He chuckled, studying the uneven rise and fall of her chest before his gaze slid over to the teenage girl who flushed under his gaze.
"Or you, you wanna open that big mouth of yours for me yeah?" Harry smirked in a suggestive manner, pointing at her with the weapon as the seventeen year old's shoulder went rigid, cheeks stained with blush as Harry tilted his head to the side, studying her while she attempted to avoid eye contact.
Finally he glanced down at the little boy, the smallest of the family.
Harry simply ruffled the kid's hair before walking back in front of them, letting the metal head of it fall repeatedly against his calloused palm.
"So, didn't like the lighting in this room, not enough windows..." He trailed off as he casually looked around, dropping his jacket to the floor while Mr. Todd audibly gulped, wiping at his forehead again as if already sensing the chaos that was growing in this room by the second.
Harry took the clear, safety construction glasses off his face before glancing back at me, walking over and situating them on my face as I scrunched my nose and closed my eyes, letting him fix it on me before blinking at him in confusion.
He simply winked, patting my head before he turned headed towards the wall in determination, running his tongue along his lower lip with excitement.
With one strong swing he swung the sledgehammer hard against the wall, surprising everyone as it crumbled, paint chipping over shifted, cracking bricks exposed and breaking away as the dust unspiraled in the air.
Hit after hit was brought down upon the barrier until the bricks caved in and light poured through the gaps.
Harry's back muscles shifted and strained underneath his dress shirt before he looked over at the startled Todd family with a sly grin.
"That enough light for you?" Harry tilted his head to the side, staring at them as each and everyone of the Todds nodded quickly in unison with frightened expressions.
That's when I decided to cut in.
"As you can see my husband's services are more than efficient. Look, new window and much more light for you as requested." I spoke up with a professional smile, politely gesturing to the hole in the wall while Harry propped the metal head of the sledgehammer on the floor, placing one hand on the handle and casually leaning on it behind me.
"So, when would you like to sign the papers?" I asked with a bright smile as Mr. Todd blinked at me in a furious manner.
"How dare you even ask that of us after trapping us all here and damaging the place!" Mrs. Todd decided to speak first as her stub of a husband stepped forward, glaring at Harry and I before raising a shakey finger at us.
"Like we'd ever buy a house from a bipolar psychopath," Mr. Todd sputtered, pointing at Harry who raised his hand and waved at everyone, as if introducing himself in a group therapy session before Mr. Todd turned to me, looking straight into my eyes
"And a terrorist."
The sickening label hung in the air like a foul stench as Mr. Todd glared at me.
Harry and I calmly exchanged looks before he raised his brows expectantly.
"Oh now I just gotta kill him pumpkin," Harry decided, raising the sledgehammer and propping it over one shoulder, running his tongue along the side of his cheek accentuating his sharp jawline before he flickered his attention back to Mr. Todd who blinked in shock.
"You're going to do what-" He squealed out a choked sob in horror when Harry closed the space between them with fast steps, grabbing Mr. Todd by his tie and wrapping it quickly around his fist until he was choking him before dragging him down until his round, sweaty face was pressed to the floor as his wife and kids gasped.
"I was waiting for you to say something stupid, but you really did it." Harry chuckled in a dark, humorless tone, his breathing slightly erratic with excitement as he gripped onto Mr. Todd's tie like a leash, his other hand expertly twirling the sledgehammer in his palm while his foot was placed over Mr. Todd's hunched back who quivered and begged underneath him.
"Do it! He took away my Ipad and Iphone yesterday!" The little boy gasped before Mrs. Todd cut in.
"No! He hasn't lifted the prenup yet!" She protested in terror, placing a frail hand over her parted lips.
The teenage daughter then stepped forward, smoothing her plaid skirt and flipping her hair over her shoulder before timidly tapping Harry, sending him a small smile.
"So like, are you into younger girls?" She asked, swaying side to side in a shy manner as Harry raised a brow before looking over at me with an arrogant smirk, still holding a fidgeting Mr. Todd down.
"I'm into my wife, now get out of the splash zone brat." Harry jerked his chin, gesturing for her to back up as an offended look appeared over her features before he brought the metal head of the construction tool against his palm, eyeing a crying Mr. Todd with an eager expression before he raised the sledgehammer with crazed, excited green eyes, biting his lip and bringing it down as everyone besides me screamed.
Harry blinked in surprise when I grabbed the wood near the metal head, stopping it from smashing Mr. Todd's head into smithereens as I stared down at the shaking, crying man with a collected expression, taking off the safety glasses that were situated on my face with a serious look in my eyes.
"We're above this." I told Harry, looking back at Mr. Todd as Harry lifted the sledgehammer hesitantly away from the man's head.
"He's not worth it." I stated in a calm voice, staring down at the terrified, ignorant little man who gazed up at me with shocked wide eyes from his crouched position.
"I-I'll buy the house if this is what it's all about, I'll sign the papers right now." Mr. Todd's words came out rushed and frenzied, his voice quivering along with his lower lip as Harry continued to hold him down to the floor with his foot, still gripping tightly onto his tie.
I pursed my lips with a peaceful expression on my face, taking out the necessary documents right above him before slowly tearing the paper in half, surprising Mr. Todd and his family as the unhurried ripping noise filled the air while Harry smirked, watching me in approval.
Holding the torn pieces in my hand, I let them fall over Mr. Todd's gawking face below, his eyes wide with confusion before I clasped my hands together, sending him a small smile.
"I know my husband and my husband would never want to have anything to do with a bunch of prejudice, small minded people, let alone sell a house to them. I believe we're done here." I dismissed myself, checking my manicured nails before turning my attention back to Mr. Todd just for a moment until I turned on my heel, leaving the room and hearing Harry let out a low wolf whistle.
"What. A. Babe." Harry's voice was the last thing I heard as my legs carried me downstairs before the sound of hurried, furious footsteps followed shortly behind me.
"I am suing both you and your husband!" It was Mrs. Todd and her children who had followed me as she strode over in her heels, confronting me with an outraged expression as I turned with a neutral look.
"Oh you are are you?" I smirked with a raise of my neatly plucked brow, tilting my head to the side as her lips pruned together with irritation.
"Yes, yes I am. You will be hearing from our lawyers and you can say goodbye to both your reputation and husband because when I'm done with you, Heath will be doing time and you'll be kicked right out of this city." She threatened, both her kids sending me smug looks as they crossed their arms over their chests behind her while I maintained my smile.
"Is that so." I let out a tight laugh, slowly blinking at her before I retrieved an unwrinkled manila folder from my shoulder bag, catching her eye.
"If you're planning to bring my husband and I down I think it's only fair to tell you that I have every intention fo bringing you and your husband down with us," I told her in an even, friendly tone, opening the folder and glancing down at the information I had collected.
"My husband is very trusting and see's the absolute best in people. I however, don't, and just in case any of his clients caused him any type of trouble I have collected every type of dirt I could get for blackmail, like this picture of your husband paying a prostitute in an alleyway." I raised the picture from the security video I had obtained, showcasing it to her as her eyes bugged out of her sunken face while her kids lips parted in shock.
"Or this picture of you and one of your students on your desk. I mean you are the principal of Simpli-City's best high school right?" I checked, showing another picture causing Mrs. Todd to gasp and cover her son's eyes with a flushed face as her daughter choked on her spit.
"Is that Daniel!?" She sputtered out with a mixture of disbelief and shock before she turned to her tense mother.
"You fucked my boyfriend!?" The teenager exclaimed as Mrs. Todd swallowed in distress, watching me tuck the evidence back into the light, yellow folder with a wary look before I slipped it into my bag.
"I have emails too if you're interested. You so much as attempt to go after my husband I will make you regret the day you were ever born." I pointed at her, an edge to my pleasant voice that wasn't there before as my intense brown eyes narrowed into slits while her chest rose and fell unevenly.
"Now, Heath and I will be leaving." I said, lowering my sunglasses down to my face before I blinked in realization.
"Harry," I whispered to myself, eyes widening as I looked around, finally notcing that Harry hadn't come down with Mr. Todd yet before my instincts kicked in, my skin prickling with chills and goosebumps as I called his name and ran back upstairs in a panic.
"Harry!" I repeated with urgency, traveling up the marble stair case, careful not to trip before I stopped, pausing when I neared the second floor at the sound of Harry's low voice mixed with muffled sobbing.
"It really is too bad you didn't choose a smaller name to call my wife, would've been a lot faster to cut the word on your skin, lot less painful for you." An almost monstrous chuckle emanated inside the nearest room, the door blocking whatever was going on behind it besides a small gap left since it wasn't fully closed all the way as I slowly approached it.
Another choked sob was heard, the sound of someone fighting against restrains pouring from the crack through the door as Harry tsked.
"You keep moving like that and you're gonna mess up my work." His sadistic voice snapped with a laugh, followed by the sound of fabric tightening and choking making my eyes widen.
Something happened behind the door, something adrupt because the whimpers seized altogether and a quick pull was heard, the noise sounding similar to that of an animal being slaughtered making me run to the door in alarm, about to open it only for Harry to beat me to it as he opened it, coming out into the hallway, closing the door behind him before I could see anything.
"Hey there pumpkin," He greeted in a calm, charismatic voice, reaching out to playfully nudge my chin with his large hand as I inspected him suspiciously.
"Where's Mr. Todd." I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, making Harry smirk in a dark, mischevious, manner before he leaned forward.
"We were just having a little conversation until I left him hanging baby, nothing to worry about." He informed me with a secretive grin, voice low and soothing as my shoulders stiffened slightly at his words.
Harry then raised the remote that controlled the house's alarm system, pressing the button all while keeping his intense green eyes on me as the doors and windows in the entire mansion unlocked.
"System lockdown, deactivated." The robotic voice rang before Harry carelessly tossed the remote over his shoulder before slinging his toned arm around my shoulder, leaning into me, ushering me downstairs as I let him lead me.
We passed Mrs. Todd and her children downstairs as I stayed quiet, feeling an unsettling feeling deep within me before I slowly got into the driver's side of the car while Harry leaned back and propped his feet on the dashboard with a satisfied look on his face that wasn't there before.
Maybe it was the fact that he noticed my apprehension, or how slow my movements were when I started the car, pulling out of the driveway that Harry turned to look at me.
"Look at you Pumpkin, so tense." His voice was chillingly low and pleasant before he took the responsibility to relieve me of my tension, his large hand trailing up my back, drifting underneath my headscarf to rub the back of my neck, my breath hitching and my hands tightening involuntarily on the wheel as he squeezed gently.
I continued to drive, glancing at the rearview mirror back at the mansion we were leaving before something caught my eye.
There behind the glass of the top window a silhouette of a limp body hung from the window railing, dangling in the air as everything around me blurred and all I could do was focus on the corpse of Mr. Todd before the body slowly spiralled to face me, revealing his blank, lifeless eyes.
The scream that erupted throughout the streets didn't come from me, but from the house we left making me realize it was that of Mrs. Todd's cry as I looked at the word 'Terrorist' cut over her husband's forehead.
The squeezing of Harry's hand behind my neck snapped me back into the car as I felt him gently massage me, making me subtly shift my eyes to find him staring out at the window in front of us, a satisfied, dimpled smirk on his face while he let the pad of his thumb skim across my goosebump covered skin.
Throughout the entire drive, I let the murderous shell of my husband besides me keep his hand on the base of my neck, the same hand he used to cut and strangle Mr. Todd gently rubbing and squeezing my skin.
And for the very first time in my life, I was afraid of my husband.
"You can't go around killing people." I said, still in disbelief that I actually had to sit down and have a talk about this with Harry who sat across me at our dining table, giving me a look.
"He was rude." He simply shrugged, making me bring my head up to send him a look.
"You can't kill people because they're rude, you can't kill people period." I stood up, giving him a stern look as a slow grin spread across his face before he leaned forward so our faces were only inches away.
"Don't remember when I gave you the right to tell me what I can and can't do." He said with a tilt of his head, his even gaze meeting mine as I held my ground, our little staring contest interrupted when I blinked at a sudden memory that filled my head.
"You called me your wife," I spoke up, making him blink as I straightened.
"Back when you were talking to Mr. Todd in that room, you called me your wife." I noted, causing Harry to noticeably stiffen before he leaned back in his chair with a bland laugh.
"Slip of the tongue." He credited as I looked at him, watching him cross his tattooed arms over his broad chest before he smirked.
"And I could show you more slips of my tongue if you'd let me." Harry tempted, wetting his lips and eyeing me as I placed my palm over the table and the other on my hip.
Heath was still there, I knew that wasn't just a slip.
I knew a bit of him had showed with his overprotectiveness of me.
I neared my husband, his green eyes following my movements as he tilted his head up to look at me when I was standing right in front of him, my hand hesitantly reaching up to touch his face, retracting back slightly before he grabbed my wrist, bringing my hand to his face.
I caressed his skin, framing his sharp jaw with my hands as I sent him a sad smile, brushing a few strands of his brown hair away from his face.
"This isn't you." I whispered with hope, watching something flash behind his dark, observant green eyes.
Before I could stop myself I bent forward and hugged him, holding him close, letting him feel the racing of my heart beneath my chest that was pressed against his as I ran my hand through his hair.
"This isn't your fault, this is not you. I won't let anyone hurt you but you need to come back to me, please." I begged, no longer caring about my plan as I buried my face into the crook of his neck, one of my hands fisting his shirt.
Heath needed to come back.
I felt his hands press against the small of my back, hugging me back and placing his lips against the fabric of my head scarf, slowly inhaling as I felt the rise and fall of his chest against mine.
"Flowers." He said on a pent up exhale, collected and calm under my touch as I blinked, pulling away to look at him with parted lips, meeting his confused green eyes as he searched my face before looking around in a daze.
"Heath..." I trailed off with wide eyes, the hope inside of me blooming as I held his face in my hands while he blinked, trying to focus on everything and nothing all at once before he snapped his sharp gaze to me.
"Hun?" He breathed out, slowly rising from his chair as he reached out to touch my cheek, gently grazing the back of his hand against my skin as I beamed up at him with relief despite his slightly puzzled expression.
"Heath!" I exclaimed with an unbreakable smile, attacking his tall frame in a big hug as he stumbled back a bit at the impact, arms secured around my waist while my own winded around his neck as I smiled against his shoulder.
"Oh my god, oh god you're back. My baby's back." I panted out in disbelief, stroking his hair and keeping him to me as I closed my eyes with comfort, swallowing a lump forming in my throat as he held me in his arms.
Heath didn't say anything for a moment, just placed one hand over the back of my head as I breathed him in, eyes closed and a happy smile on my face, enjoying his presence before he leaned his head down, lips grazing the side of my face.
"So do I get to see your hair now Pumpkin?"
My eyes flew open at the sound of Harry's deep, mocking voice, making me freeze before I pulled away and shoved him off me, letting him back away with a sickening smirk plastered across his face as I looked at him in horror.
The disappointment took over the dying hope inside of me as he raised his arms in a casual shrug, chuckling at my terrified reaction.
"You really think I wouldn't know what you're trying to do, that I would just buy that bullshit about you forgetting about Heath? I don't think so babe," Harry said with narrowed, amused green eyes, pushing the chair back against the table with his foot as he slowly walked towards me.
"I've been locked up for years, years. And I'm not planning to go back anytime soon." He shook his head, rolling his broad shoulders, letting the muscles shift under his inked skin as I stared at him with furrowed brows.
"Come on, you gotta admit that was some pretty spot on acting. You really fell for it too, should've seen your face-"
"You're an asshole." I cut his laughter off, making him tilt his head to the side to give me a look as my hands balled up into tight fists in frustration.
"What Hubba Bubba, you getting fiesty now? Gonna claw at me like the little mad kitty you are?" He further taunted, as if daring me with the excited gleam in his eyes as I glared at him.
"You know Harry, I feel bad for you. I really do." I claimed in a firm tone.
"You like sex and violence because that is all you know and that is what you will always know. You make demeaning, crude comments about my religion,my body, my name. You're rude and impulsive and you're nothing like Heath. You undermine and belittle him but you're just jealous." I claimed in a fierce voice, taking a step forward as he released an amused scoff althought I knew I hit a nerve at the way his shoulders tensed.
"Listen here sweetheart, I take pride in who am. I know I'm sick, but does it look like I give a shit? I enjoy sex and the feeling of having my hand around someone's throat just as much as Heath does no matter how much he tried to hide it. Maybe if you were fucked the way you deserved to be you'd know exactly what I'm talking about." He said through gritted teeth, pointing a ring clad finger at me before he closed the space between us, speaking before I could respond.
"And don't you even think that I'm jealous of Heath's little white picket fenced life. I have only been jealous of that prude once and it wasn't for his status or state of mind I'll tell you that, so I'd watch what you'd say to me next time." Harry glowered down at me, jaw locked with anger as I looked up at him.
"You made me believe you were him... You gave me hope." I let out a shakey breath, blinking back the tears that were starting to form, momentarily stunning Harry before I shook my head with a frown.
"Why would you do that to me." I swallowed in a pathetically small voice, something I wasn't quite used to as he stared at me, his lips pressed in a firm, tight line as if now guilty before I turned and left, rushing out of the room and heading back upstairs as I wiped at my tears.
I never cried.
Never.
The second I got into my room I closed and locked the door, wanting to be alone before I took off the large sweater and long, flowy, skirt I was wearing, immediatly walking over and retrieving one of Heath's large, neatly folded flannels, closing my eyes and bringing the fabric to my nose, inhaling the subtle scent of him.
I laid there in a fetal position on my large king sized bed that seemed much too empty and much too big, wearing only Heath's flannel and my hijab as I cried.
I don't know when but the bed dipped with a new weight of a body, making me weakly raise my head up from the mattress, tears blurring my vision before I blinked and focused on the blonde hair, blue eyed man I loved laying besides me.
Heath layed on his side to face me, raising his hand to wipe my tears with a small, sad, smile on his face.
"Don't cry hun, you never cry." He reminded me in his soft voice as I held his wrist to keep his hand on my skin before I closed my eyes, quick, shakey gasps and whimpers leaving my quivering lips.
"I miss you, I miss you so much." I told him, sobbing harder before he pulled me to his chest, cradling me in his strong arms before he rubbed my back in a soothing manner.
"I should have never gotten mad at you for not wanting to be near me or touch me. I should've made sure you were okay instead of confronting you. This is all my fault, I should have listened to you, but instead the last thing I did was pressure you-"
"Shhh... you're okay. I'm still here Habiba. I'm still with you." He promised me in a soft voice, hushing my sobs before I felt his lips brush my forehead, making my eyes flutter close at the sensation as I released a soft sigh.
"Always."
My husband's voice echoed on that one word before it faded into the distance along with him.
When I opened my eyes Heath wasn't besides me, my drowsy state making me realize I had fallen asleep, curled into a small fragile ball before I blinked, feeling a wet texture gently swipe against my cheek.
I jolted away when I turned to find Harry at my side, holding a wipe to my face as he smirked at my reaction.
"What are you- how'd you get in?" I breathed, my voice coming out hoarse as I glanced at the door, only to find it busted open.
"I tried picking the lock then I realized I'm too much of a dumbass to pull that shit so I just broke in." He casually shrugged, as if that was the most normal solution he could come up with before he gently cupped my chin, making me jerk back.
"Hey, don't get your panties in a twist babe. You fell asleep with your make up on and.. I don't know, thought it'd be uncomfortable and I found your make up remover wipes on the dresser...." He trailed off, showing me the napkin in his hand as I blinked at him, suddenly feeling bad.
"Oh.. okay that's, thank you..." I said in a soft, surprised voice, my nerves calming down as I hesitantly leaned my chin into Harry's palm, making him smile before he gently tilted my head to the side to run the wipe across my cheek, then lightly over my eyelids as I closed my eyes, before feeling him swipe the wipe across my eyebrows.
My face felt cold from the slight wetness of the wipe but much cleaner nonetheless as he held my jaw, my eyes fluttering and my nose scrunching when he attempted to stick one end of the wet wipe into my nostril, making me push him away with a small smile as he laughed.
"Harry, I'm sorry." I slowly blinked at him when he finished, closing my eyes at times when he ran the napkin over my face one last time for good measure before crumpling it in his palm, releasing my chin.
"I said those things back there because I was mad." I whispered, my voice soft as he peered down at me in thought, not saying anything for a moment when I reached out to pull him to me so he could lay with me on the bed, pressing my pouting face against his chest.
"He misses you." Harry suddenly spoke up, causing my body to stiffen at his words.
"Please, I'm not falling for this again so you can quit it-"
"I'm serious." The sincere tone in his voice caught my attention as I looked up to study his face, shocked to find no glimpse of humor in his eyes as per usual.
"He misses you a lot, and he wants me to tell you he loves you." Harry met my intense gaze with his own, his words hitting me right in my heart as I looked at his genuine face.
He was the first to look away, maybe out of guilt, maybe out of discomfort with this whole situation before I frowned, sitting myself up before I cupped his face, turning his head so his lips met mine and I closed my eyes, feeling one last tear slip and fall down my cheek as I kept my mouth to his.
Harry's body tensed beneath mine but he made no move to hold me or grip me possessively like he usually would which I greatly appreciated as he let me kiss him.
It was a close mouthed kiss, one that had our lips just firmly pressed together before I pulled back with a sad smile, meeting Harry's dark green eyes.
"That was for Heath." I told him, my gaze falling to my lap before I avoided his stare, laying back down on the bed besides him, curling up against his body as he released a sigh.
"I figured." Harry simply said, chills running up and down my spine when he rubbed my back in a soothing manner, just like how Heath did in my dream.
We didn't say anything, just layed besides one another in bed, letting the events of the past few days sink in and enjoying the comfortable silence that filled the air before I shifted slightly.
"What was that one thing that made you jealous of Heath?" I asked in a soft voice, my head somehow finding it's way over Harry's arm as he stared up at the ceiling, continuing to rub my back.
"Hm," He hummed, probably zoning out as I rested the side of my face over his shoulder, staring at his chest.
"You said you were only jealous of Heath once. When was it?" I asked in curiousity, realizing that my original plans were forever futile from here on out.
Harry was a different person in the same body as my husband.
Despite this change his body seemed to be used to my touch, my presence, and in fact made him crave for it as he trailed his fingers lightly over the bare skin of my outer thigh unconsciously.
Either way, I was going to protect Harry and care for him no matter what.
He was still a part of Heath.
I heard Harry swallow and didn't realize he was answering my question till his voice finally breached my jumbled thoughts and reached me.
I replayed the question I had asked him in my head, You said you were only jealous of Heath once. When was it?
My lips parted in shock at Harry's response when his answer left his lips with no hint of remorse as he stared up at the ceiling.
"The day he married you."