Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace

Chapter 1

I was dead.

I bit the dust the night he forced me to lure a killer all to protect his new flame. After I kicked the bucket, they turned my body into an exhibit and stuck me in a glass display case for eternity.

But Dexter Fitzgerald just lost his marbles.

Sea City, the Fitzgerald Mansion

couldn’t figure out why my spirit ended up back at this joint after I took a big sleep.

“Still no word from Phoebe? It’s been days,” Dexter’s mother Hailey muttered under her breath as she parked on the couch. “That kid’s always been a goody two shoes; she wouldn’t just ghost my calls. What if something’s happened to her?”

I was the Fitzgerald family’s adopted girl, shipped over to their pad when I was eighteen.

My mom was Hailey’s BFF. After my folks passed away in a car wreck, she scooped me up and brought me to the Fitzgeralds.

“Mom, just let it be. She’s a big girl; what could possibly go wrong?” Dexter was getting antsy and glancing at the time. “Today’s Melody’s birthday bash–I gotta jet.”

Watching Dexter, I couldn’t help but snicker at myself. Like he’d give a damn if I was dead or alive.

Back in the day, we were the childhood sweethearts everybody raved about. Me, always following him around; him, always holding my hand.

ead

He said he dug me, and then like a complete idiot, I fell head over heels for him for a whole decade.

Turned out young love was paper thin. When Dexter met his true love, all the feelings we had went up in smoke in the blink of an eye.

“Dexter… With that serial killer jazz going around targeting young, pretty girls, I’ve got this twitch in my eye and my heart’s racing non–stop. Hit up Phoebe, tell her I miss her,” Hailey was. on edge and pleaded quietly.

and caring for me like

her, to give her a hug, but

reason she

to embrace her, but I couldn’t touch

have hung up on you even if she was mad

1/3

1. a hard–on.” Dexter was loaded with disgust

I played the decoy like a madwoman, just

right before he passed out, “Phoebe, I’ll

was just the

I stood in front of him, mocking myself. “Turns out I’ve always been nothing but

but you guys were set. from the start and childhood sweethearts with a solid foundation. You’re already an item; if you don’t marry her, how am I supposed to

sweethearts crap. Why I gottal marry her just because we grew up together? She’s delusional by using a childhood promise as an excuse to throw herself at me, dignity be damned.”

swung at him but hit

on me in bed. And he also had

had no choice but

as we walked in, Dexter’s buddies started calling Melody ‘Mrs. Fitzgerald!”

Fitzgerald! Dexter broke the bank to make your day

fondly at Melody, presenting his gift

Melody asked quietly as if something just crossed her mind.

“Playing the good guy, huh? Weren’t you the one who

vibe

still your sister, after all. Don’t be like that.”

killed and you’re

too nice.”

getting all cutesy in his arms. “I don’t mind…” she muttered.

in front of Dexter, I desperately tried to explain. “I didn’t do it! I never hurt her, and it was her! She’s the one who got me killed!” I exclaimed. “Dexter! She’s

hear a thing.

explain myself like a madwoman. I suddenly felt drained after getting