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.

for me like a mother; she

wanted to comfort her, to give her a hug, but I couldn’t do squat now.

reason she was

embrace her, but I couldn’t touch

She shouldn’t have hung up on

1/3

1. was loaded with

got sideswiped by kidnappers. I played the decoy like a madwoman,

him murmuring right before he passed

love’s gone, I was just

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

from the start and childhood sweethearts with a solid foundation. You’re already an item; if you don’t marry her, how

Why I gottal marry her just because we grew

at him but hit nothing but air, “Dexter, you

me in bed. And he also had the nerve to claim I

choice but to tag along to

walked in, Dexter’s buddies started calling

Mrs. Fitzgerald! Dexter broke the bank to make

his gift amid cheers from the crowd.

from Phoebe?” Melody asked quietly

huh? Weren’t you the one who did me

vibe

sister, after all. Don’t be

got you killed and you’re still sticking up

too nice.”

cutesy in his arms. “I

didn’t do it! I never hurt her, and it was her! She’s the one who got me killed!” I

Dexter couldn’t hear a thing.

myself like a madwoman. I suddenly felt