Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter) novel Chapter 435

"Feeling a bit tender-hearted, are you?" I turned back to look at Dexter, my voice heavy with sarcasm. "You know what the difference is between you and Colin?"

Dexter seemed hurt, his grip on the hem of my shirt tightening.

"It's not... I just, don't want you to..." He didn't want me to kill, didn't want me to cross that line.

I understood his sentiment, but he didn't really get me.

The difference between him and Colin was, Colin backed me up no matter what. If I was the devil, he was right there with me; if I was an angel, he'd sprout wings too.

I do good, he's on board. I do bad, he's ready to help dig the hole.

But Colin knew me too well. He knew I wouldn't actually cross certain lines...

At least, I had some semblance of a moral compass.

"This is someone else's designed slaughterhouse. If I do kill her, who's to say?" I scoffed, taunting Dexter. "You wouldn't snitch to the cops, would you?"

Dexter's clutch on my wrist tightened in panic. "Phoebe... please, don't."

"You're scarily righteous." I shook Dexter off and walked over to Melody, stepping on her neck.

With the dim light of the fire reflecting off our faces, I spoke sternly. "You better spill what you know."

Fear, pain, and the cold made Melody tremble all over.

She knew I could easily end her life, but her silence spoke volumes. It meant Damian was far scarier than me.

Damian had ways to make living feel worse than death.

"Melody, you've got no other choice. If you want to survive, you gotta listen to me..." I let go of her hair, my disdain clear as I flicked her blood off my fingers. "Even if you don't tell me, do you think Damian will ever fully trust you after this? The man is paranoid... Just a little nudge from me, and he'd make your life a living hell. Why not join forces with me instead?"

Melody glared at me with pure hatred. "You're not scared I might kill you once I'm out?"

"If you think you've got what it takes, be my guest..."

"Phoebe was tough too, and look where she ended up... Dead. You're no different," Melody spat back at me, defiance in her eyes.

I slowly pressed my hand against her wound, fingers probing deeper into the cut.