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.

soothing and caring for me like a mother; she was treating me

to comfort her, to give her a hug, but I couldn’t

was the reason she

so sorry…” My voice choked up, arms outstretched, trying to embrace

woman. She shouldn’t have hung up on you even if she

1/3

1. me. She’s got a hard–on.” Dexter was loaded with disgust as he mentioned me.

that year when Dexter got sideswiped by kidnappers. I played the decoy like a madwoman,

passed

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

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

the start and childhood sweethearts with a solid

icy. “Cut the childhood sweethearts crap. Why I gottal marry her just because we grew up together? She’s

rage. I swung at him but hit nothing

him who went nuts and laid hands on me in bed. And he also had the nerve to claim I played him.

no choice but

soon as we walked in, Dexter’s buddies started calling Melody

Mrs. Fitzgerald! Dexter broke the bank to make your

smiled fondly at Melody, presenting his gift amid

any news from Phoebe?” Melody asked quietly as if something just crossed her mind.

“Playing the good guy, huh? Weren’t

kill the vibe by bringing

just smiled, “She’s still your sister, after all. Don’t

killed and you’re

too nice.”

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

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

couldn’t hear a thing.