Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter) novel Chapter 372

"What's going on here?"

"Just when I was about to leave, Colin grabbed my wrist.

Outside, Bran tried to come in but Colin kicked the door shut on him, locking Bran out with a loud bang.

Colin was fuming, and honestly, it scared me a bit.

"What are you trying to do...?" I had no clue what Colin had in mind...

"I want to keep you hidden... locked in the basement, where only I know you exist." Colin's voice was husky, filled with a suppressed emotion.

He cornered me, his presence and gaze more intense than I'd ever seen.

To be honest, this side of Colin scared me.

It reminded me of those stories my mom wrote in her diary about him locking Phoebe Caldwell in the basement, keeping her captive and tormenting her.

"You... you're not serious, are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Colin pulled me into his embrace and sighed. "Phoebe... I just want you to have a normal life, with friends like Stella, a regular... husband, kids, three meals a day, happiness, and safety."

"No matter the cost..." Colin murmured softly.

That must be his biggest wish.

My heart raced unexpectedly as I listened to his heartbeat against his chest.

For some reason, I had this bad feeling. In Colin's wish for me, he didn't include himself.

He said he wanted me to have a normal life, with friends, a normal husband, kids, three meals a day... but he wasn't in that picture, was he?

He always thought of himself as a monster, as abnormal.

Would he let me go in the future?

Or had he already planned out this so-called life for me?

I felt a sudden panic and instinctively clung tighter to Colin's shirt. "Don't you doubt that I'm Phoebe Caldwell? Didn't you say someone could only be Phoebe Caldwell if they could recite pi?"