Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace



Being cooped up under the same blanket, a man and a woman alone, was indeed playing with fire.

"Phoebe..." Colin whispered as he wrapped his arms around me from behind, his breath hot against my skin.

I felt a wave of fear, perhaps still haunted by the loss of our child and the forceful advances of James...

"Don't be scared, I wouldn't dare touch you," Colin's voice was so soft it melted all my defenses away.

He just held me like that, his breathing slowly growing deeper.

My cheeks flushed with heat, marveling at his stamina, and all we were doing was lying close...

Seemingly unsatisfied with just cuddling, he took my hand in his.

I tried to wriggle free, but couldn't match his strength. "Phoebe... help me."

"I... I don't want to help."

I just want to sleep.

This is all so messy.

"Phoebe, we're married." I knew it, he always played the marriage card when it came to this.

Reluctantly, I turned around, and like a pretzel, I curled up in his embrace, helping him...

Though it wasn't the first time, each encounter sent my heart racing, filling me with a sensation... utterly foreign.

Back when I was Phoebe Caldwell, entanglements with Dexter were frequent, yet each felt like a humiliation, devoid of any fond memories.

Dexter's interactions were mostly vents of frustration, never the soothing whispers, the gentle caress that could stir the soul.

"Phoebe..." Colin's voice trailed off with a hint of seduction, his gaze filled with an intoxicating warmth.

My fingers felt scorching to the touch, too shy to meet his gaze.

"The doctor mentioned, after a month... we could, you know," I murmured shyly.

My face was ablaze.

It's just human nature, isn't it? We can't keep him hanging forever.

Colin paused, pulling me closer, and leaned in for a kiss.

His kiss was passionate, yet he didn't make me stop. "I'm afraid of hurting you... three months would be safer."

He had made sure to ask.

I bit my lip, taking a nibble on his, drawing blood...

He was too beautiful, especially with that hint of blood, looking like a siren, tempting me to bite again.

"Phoebe..." His gaze, always so passionate, seemed to scorch my very soul.

I wanted to run, but he caught my chin, trapping me.

He seemed to harbor no grand illusions of making me fall for him, yet he whispered, "Could you love me?"

Like I once loved Dexter...

Tears welled up in my eyes, unsure of how to respond.

I didn't know how to love someone anymore.

My feelings for Dexter were clearly not love.

Seeing my silence, Colin didn't press further, choosing to continue kissing me.

Yet, in his kiss, I found a sense of loss...

He said, "Phoebe... this is fine too, not loving me is okay."

Without love, the pain of loss is lessened.

After a long struggle, my wrist ached, my body limp, he finally relented, cleaned us up, and we drifted to sleep. Come dawn, Colin received a call from Finn.

"We're digging deeper into the human trafficking lead. If we're lucky, we might find those missing prodigies."

"And my wife?" Colin's voice was deep, his mind solely on clearing Foebe's name.

"There's some complication. James

insists Foebe was saving those

l.n

street kids for trafficking, claiming she's the mastermind..." Finn sounded troubled. "We... have to bring her in for questioning, it's protocol."

Colin remained silent, the air around him turning icy, as if he was about to devour someone.

"It's not... don't be mad, it's just a

Pre. We all know she's

but we need evidence,

right?" Finn's voice waveredel

Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"Will James die?" Colin wished death upon James.

"Probably not, might get a few years," Finn sighed.

"Well... then let me tell you, he will die," Colin's voice was a dark promise, like a call from the reaper.

Finn's voice was clearly panicked.

"Caleb,

Cel

ewhat are you planning?

is in custody until the case is