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.

parents were six feet under, Hailey was the only one soothing and caring for me like a mother; she was treating me like her

her a

the reason she was in

voice choked up, arms outstretched, trying to embrace her, but I couldn’t

ungrateful woman. She shouldn’t have hung up

1/3

1. loaded with disgust as he mentioned

Dexter got sideswiped by kidnappers. I played the decoy like a madwoman, just praying he’d

passed out, “Phoebe, I’ll always

that love’s gone, I was just the ingrate he’s griping

and you’re finally off the hook,” I stood in front of him, mocking myself. “Turns out I’ve always

you guys were set. from the start and childhood sweethearts with

his voice icy. “Cut the childhood 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,

him but hit nothing but air, “Dexter, you bastard!”

was him who went nuts and laid hands on me in bed. And he

and my spirit had no choice but to

Dexter’s buddies started calling Melody

the bank to make your

at Melody, presenting his

news from Phoebe?” Melody asked quietly as

good guy, huh? Weren’t you the one

kill the vibe by bringing

sister, after all. Don’t be like

you killed and you’re still

too nice.”

all cutesy in his arms. “I don’t

of Dexter, I desperately tried to explain. “I didn’t do it! I never hurt her, and it was her! She’s the

couldn’t hear

madwoman. I suddenly felt drained after