Chapter 7 - Delilah
SEVEN
DELILAH
My body ached, sore and tender after my night with Reef.
Skating around town wasn’t exactly the most ideal choice, but Cherri finally had a day off and deserved a much-needed break from work.
We had spent the morning skating around Golden Coast, dressed in our little shorts and halter tops, enjoying the summer weather.
It was nice getting out, breathing the fresh air, and just living in the moment.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly alive.
“Alright, the sex can’t be that good.” She giggled, pointing to my smile that hadn’t left my face all day.
I looked at her, laughing as we sat on a bench, eating our ice cream.
I flicked my finger through the swirl of whipped cream, sucking on it as I lifted my eyebrows and made a face.
“Seriously?” she gasped, impressed. “Damn, girl, don’t let that one go.
” We giggled, eating our dessert when Dale and my father suddenly appeared, dampening our cheery mood.
“Well, I must say. It’s nice to finally catch you away from the beach.
” My smile quickly faded away. My father’s eyes squinted, starting at my neck.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing to Reef’s human bite, still red and present on my skin.
I quickly brushed my hair forward as Cherri cleared her throat and spoke up.
“What’re you doing out here, Chief? I thought you were meeting with the local fishermen again today?”
Dale snickered as my dad sighed, completely focused on her words. “I was. One of the guys claims he caught a shark just a few miles out, so we’re on our way to check it out.” My stomach dropped.
“Don’t get your hopes up, ladies,” Dale snapped. “I was just telling Chief Bailey that I don’t think it’s our killer shark.” I sighed, relieved.
“Why not?” Cherri asked, genuinely curious.
I could sense Dale was annoyed by the mere sound of her voice, his sexist views on full display. “Our shark is too smart to be caught. There’s no way it—”
“You.” We all turned to see a red eyed woman pointing directly at me.
It was the girlfriend of the man who was attacked at the beach.
“You!” she hollered, quickening her pace as she ran at me.
Before anyone could react, the woman swung, punching me in the face as I dropped my ice cream and fell onto Cherri’s lap.
“You fucking slut!” The woman continued to cry and scream as my dad tried to restrain her.
“Hey!” he yelled, breaking through to her. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private and talk, huh?”
“That slut is the reason my Lee is dead!” She fell into his arms, violently pounding her fists into his chest.
“Chief, you might want to get her out of here, ‘cause it’s my day off, and I’m not afraid to throw hands!” Cherri fumed.
“No, that’s alright, Cherri!” he grunted, stumbling as the woman sobbed. “I’ll take care of this. Dale, I’ll meet you down at the docks.” He shushed the woman as they shuffled away, random onlookers staring, wondering what just happened.
Cherri examined my swollen cheek with her hands, her ice cream tucked between her fingers as I rose, fighting back my temper. “Shit, that’s surely going to bruise. Let me see if I can get you some ice!” She stood, quickly skating away, tossing her dessert into the trash.
My fingertips tapped my cheek as it ached at the simple feel.
Fuck. Dale shook his head, chuckling under his breath.
“You always had a way with people, Delilah.” I spat at his feet, blood mixing with my saliva.
He stared at me, a dark shadow casting over his face.
“It’s nice seeing you bleed. Shows you’re actually human and not just some heartless skank.
” Fucking Dale. “Say, I never noticed how distinct that lipstick of yours was. Pretty unique color, isn’t it?
” I tried to not reveal my emotions, a flash of fear rippling through my gut.
He stepped forward, leaning a little too close, running his index finger along my reddened cheek.
“You always did swing both ways, didn’t you? ”
My temper took control as I raised my leg, kicking my skate into his dick. Dale cried out, falling over as I stood and leaned over his crippling body. “You lay a finger on me again, and I’ll fucking kill you,” I growled.
Cherri rolled back, holding a bag of ice. “What the fuck happened?” she demanded.
“Dale here is still butt hurt that I dumped his sorry ass in high school. Apparently, after all these years, it still bothers him that I left him for a woman, one with a dick twice his size.” I snatched the bag from her hands and tossed it at Dale, the cubes scattering around his curled-up body.
“You might want to ice that. A bruised ego tends to hurt, or so I hear.” I turned, skating away towards the beach.
“Hey, Delilah,” Cherri called after me. “Delilah!” I fought back my tears, my face throbbing as I aimed for Reef’s spot. Our spot. Please be there.
I rolled up to the edge of Reef’s cove, ripping my skates off as I scurried down the rocks, spying him in the water surrounded by the Blacktip sharks.
Thank God you’re okay. I quickly fumbled to the base of the cove, rushing towards him when he turned to face me. His face dropped at the sight of me.
“Delilah,” he called, rushing from the water towards me. “What’s wrong?” I ran into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably as he held me.
“Everything.” I bawled.
Reef waited, comforting me before he gently examined my face, noticing my cheek.
“Who did this to you?” he growled, the words rumbling in his chest like a thunderstorm.
I stared up at him, his fingers softly wiping my tears as I explained everything.
His arms flexed, his jaw tightening as he thought for a minute, kissing the top of my head.
“Let’s kill them,” he spoke without missing a beat.
I pulled back, both shocked and startled by his resolution.
“W-what?” He wasn’t serious, was he? Reef nodded, repeating his words.
“Reef, I-I appreciate the support and enthusiasm, but I’ve never actually planned on killing someone before.
Yeah, I-I’ve lost my temper a few times—okay, more than a few—but I’ve never just targeted someone. ”
Reef looked at me, carefully examining my cheek again. “I thought you decided to dive into the darkness? Besides, what’s the difference? Murder is murder.”
“Well—” Wait, what was the difference? “I mean—” Fuck.
He was right. I had taken that leap, chosen to embrace the darkness with him.
Planned or not, there was no real differentiation.
Murder was murder. I’d killed many times before; what was two more?
I peered up at him, the corner of my lips curling. “Alright, then. Let’s do it.”
“That’s my girl.” Reef lifted me, holding me as I wrapped my legs around his torso and allowed him to carry me from the water. “Who do you want to kill first?”
I pondered the question, accidentally hitting my cheek when the answer came to me. “Her.”
“Well.” Lee’s girlfriend tsked, approaching me as I stood at the edge of the sea. “I didn’t expect to hear from you, not after earlier today.” She spoke, examining her fist, pleased with her abuse. The woman stopped a few feet from me, crossing her arms. “What do you want, slut?”
I raised a brow, biting back my temper. “I wanted to apologize.” The lie tasted bitter in my mouth.
“Apologize? For what? Killing my boyfriend?” she snapped.
“Okay, I—” I had to force myself to breathe. “I didn’t kill your boyfriend.”
“Lee. His name was Lee!” She stomped her foot. “And he’s dead ‘cause your skank ass lured him into the water, trying to seduce him!”
I busted out in laughter, unable to stop myself.
She glared at me, fuming as I wiped my eyes.
“I’m sorry, that was so rude of me.” I sniffed, snuffing out my laughter.
“But I didn’t do anything to Lee. He was the one who invited both me and my friend to play a game.
He was drunk, trying to get me to hook up with him, but I said no.
I mean, he’s not even really my type. The whole reason he was even alone out there in the ocean was because I turned him down. ”
“You’ll say anything to move the blame to others, won’t you?” she hissed.
“Excuse me?”
“You think I don’t know about you, Delilah?
You're the Chief’s daughter. The one who took off the second she graduated high school, only to return a failed college drop out.
” She stepped closer, closing the distance between us, spitting her venom.
“You lure other people’s partners in with your crazed sexual energy and use them to try and fill your own endless emptiness.
Well, newsflash, sweetie; nothing can fill that gaping void inside, ‘cause you’re just fucking damaged.
” She poked my chest with her index finger, jabbing me.
“The Angel of Death should target you next, do this town a favor and rid us of your filth.”
“You really think I’d be stupid enough to fall victim to that killer?” I cackled at her ignorance.
“I mean, you were dumb enough to abandon your own mother on her deathbed. No wonder your daddy hates you.” She placed her hands on her hips, pleased with her spiteful words.
My hand gripped the butterfly knife in my pocket. “The only one dumb enough to fall victim to the Angel of Death” I swung my blade, piercing it straight through her neck, “is you.”
I twisted the blade, ripping it out, watching as her wide eyes stared at me.
She choked on her own blood, falling to the sand, flailing around like a fish out of water, desperately trying to cover the gaping hole in her neck.
Blood pooled around her face, gathering on her chest as she tried to scream, the sound drowned out by her own blood.
Her eyes began to roll, a sign that she didn’t have much longer on this earth.