Perfect Revenge (Revenge Series Book 1)

by Catherine Edward

  "Daniel," she called.

  He didn't hear what was being said, but watched as she nodded.

  "I need a detailed bio of all the men she had dated, dig a few graves if you want to, this is important to me, Daniel," she stressed and Axel's brows knitted together.

  "What was that about?" He asked once she was done with the call.

  "Just the necessary. I don't get into unknown waters without knowing their depth. Just, relax Axel. You are not alone and when I am done with her, she won't have a place to go," her wicked grin had his stomach do a somersault.

  This woman was dangerous if you got on her bad side. He should always keep that in mind, he made a note in his mind.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  The week flew past in a blur and soon it was Saturday, the day of the barbecue.

  Samantha didn't speak a word about her plan to Axel and he didn't bother to ask. He trusted her and just did what she had asked him to do.

  Mr. Seemus Weston was now a guest in one of the hotel owned by his best friend. He made sure that he stayed low and away from the eyes of the public, most of all he made sure that he stayed away from gambling and booze.

  On Samantha's advice, he even arranged a counseling session for Mr. Weston with his therapist. His former principal was now nothing but an empty shell with no lights in his eyes.

  Axel still remembered how he used to look at his younger years. There was always a strong aura of authority around him. He was the best principal their school has ever had and Axel knew as a fact that he stayed true to his wife.

  Samantha's words sounded true, he never gave much of a thought to the fact that Alicia never had the same surname as her father. She still used her grandfather's surname instead of Weston. Her mother followed the same and he wondered if they thought too low of Seemus to use his surname.

  He will have to talk to Seemus soon. His former principal was in no condition to talk when he bailed him out. Seemus was depressed and was mostly talking to himself. He didn't even seem to recognize Axel.

  Axel shrugged off the thoughts about Seemus and got ready for the barbecue. His mother was bellowing his name by the time he got ready.

  "I’m coming, mom!"

  "We're going to be late. Henry! I told you not to wear the usual blue T-shirt. Change it, right now!"

  Axel laughed out loud watching his mother fussing around his father. His dad had a lucky T-shirt, which he preferred to wear anywhere he went. Though the color has faded and it looked worn out, his dad was not ready to give it out.

  "Dad, listen to mom for once. You should wear the shirt mom chose for you if you want to impress Samantha's family," Axel said and plopped down on the couch.

  "All right! But, Sammy said I can wear anything I'm comfortable with and I'm comfortable in this. Sara, how could you forget that I was wearing this when we first met," Henry grumbled.

  Axel boomed with laughter. "What? You were wearing this when you met mom. That was twenty-nine years ago dad."

  "Yeah, so? It's special for me."

  "Dad, tell me the truth. Did you ever wash this?"

  "Of course, I did," Henry looked offended.

  "He never washed it. I had to go behind his back to wash it when he is not around and when I do, he sulks in a corner for next two days," Sara grimaced.

  "Why is it, dad?"

  "Because washing will ruin my T-shirt."

  Axel laughed out again. "That’s funny, dad. Now, please go, change before mom burns it."

  "Don't give her any ideas, boy," Henry grunted. "And you, don't even think about it," he said, pointing at Sara. Henry went in to change as Sara and Axel exchanged a knowing look.

  After a few minutes, they were off to Samantha's home or in this case mansion.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  It wasn’t that difficult to find her home. She lived in the most expensive neighborhood in New York. The buildings thinned out on both sides as they took a turn in the road which led them to their mansion.

  The entire estate looked magnificent and Henry had his face pressed to the glass like a small kid making Axel smile widely. His dad had grown up in a poor household and all these luxuries was still a foreign aspect to him, unlike his mom.

  "This place looks like a park," Henry mused in enthusiasm.

  "Yes, it is, Dad."

  When they reached the grand mansion, Axel parked his car in the driveway and soon a few servants wearing uniforms were opening the door for them to get out. Henry grinned with a child's enthusiasm as he thanked the servants. Soon, the Sinclair's were filling out, greeting their family with a hug and so much love.

  Sara immediately warmed up to Narmadha and has already started discussing all the things they could do together.

  Axel felt overwhelmed with all the warm greetings he was receiving. Narmadha greeted Axel with a hug and kissed his cheek. Eric pulled him for a manly one-handed hug while Gregory almost crushed his bones. Who thought the most serious businessman was a hugger.

  A warm, homey feeling blanketed him the moment he set his foot in her home. Though the mansion was grand and screamed luxury in every bit, everything about it was strangely familiar.

  "Is that Axel?"

  A teenage girl who looked like the younger version of Narmadha asked curiously.

  "Yes," Eric replied. "Where's Ryan?"

  "He's gone to pick up a few things for mom," the girl answered. "Hi, I'm Sasha."

  "Hi, Sasha, nice to meet you." Axel shook her hand with a smile.

  "Meow!"

  Axel grinned when he noticed the furball who was inspecting the newcomers with hostility, his tail held high and his body brisk.

  "So, that's Mr. Whiskers. I heard a lot about him too," Axel grinned.

  "Oh, yeah. Wait until you meet the others. Eric, is Uncle Norman joining us?" Sasha asked.

  "No, he is still in Greece with Aunt Lillian. Uncle Rick and family are on their way," Eric answered.

  Axel's eyes scanned the home looking for Samantha, who was nowhere to be seen. "Sammy is getting ready. Mr. Whiskers used her velvet dress to sleep in and she is trying to find something else," Sasha answered as if reading his mind.

  A ghost of a smile spread across Axel’s lips and they were distracted by Narmadha before he could respond. "Come on everybody, let's move out to the backyard," she called.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  The spacious backyard buzzed with activities. Women fussed around the kitchen while the men set up the barbecue and carried the cooked appetizers and beverages out. Gregory came out wearing a Chef's hat. He looked and acted like a professional cook as he shouted orders at others.

  Axel's eyes were constantly looking for Samantha and when she did arrive, she took his breath away. She wore a simple floral sundress which ended a few inches below her knees. It had a black belt under her bust and the skirt flared below. The peach color of her dress seemed to blend with her skin tone.

  All of a sudden the ring he carried around in his pocket for the past couple of days felt so heavy. He stood up from his chair and went to greet her, his face beaming like a beacon, the world around him forgotten as their eyes met.

  A throat cleared somewhere behind him, bringing him out of his trance. Axel blushed slightly and pulled a chair for Samantha to sit.

  "No chair for the pregnant lady?" Amelia pouted beside her.

  Axel who was just noticing Amelia blushed as he quickly pulled a chair for her, mumbling an apology. Sara grinned widely and winked at Narmadha who laughed along with her.

  Axel could feel all the eyes were on him. It was really difficult to stay put with all the curious glances, yet when he saw Samantha, he felt like he belonged here. The Sinclair family shared the tasks and happily did the chores as they chatted about anything and everything.

  He could easily compare them with his family, just a lot bigger than their nuclear family. Sara was mingling easily as Henry listened intently to something Gregory spoke. When Eric brought in the wine glasses, Axel politely declined and so did Sama
ntha.

  "Sam!"

  A high-pitched squeal had them all turn around to see a pregnant female running towards them as a male raced behind her with concern.

  "Gracie!" Samantha ran towards her and was just in time to catch Gracie, who tripped.

  "Oh, God, Gracie, you shouldn't be running like that," Samantha scolded, hugging her friend.

  "I missed you so much, Sam. Video calls are nothing compared to this. I'm not moving anywhere," Gracie huffed.

  "Gracie, you'll be the death of me." A very handsome male complained as he came to stand next to Gracie.

  "Antony!" Samantha hugged him and he returned the hug with a wide smile.

  "Hello my little panda, I see you decided to change the color code for once," he teased.

  Samantha slapped his hand playfully. "Where are Keith and Julius?"

  “They are –“

  "Sam!"

  "Keith!"

  Axel watched as Samantha greeted each and everyone with a hug and lot of pleasantries. She was grinning ear to ear and just seeing her smile, warmed his heart and lifted his spirits. Her smile was the first thing he noticed every day and now looking at her again, he thought how beautiful and carefree she looked when she smiled.

  "So, did you get the ring?"

  "Huh!" Axel looked startled at Eric's question and momentarily shifted his glance to him. "Ring!"

  "Yeah. A ring. That's a rule of mom, you aren't allowed to date her if you don't have any intention to have a forever with her," Eric warned.

  "What? No, I mean... of course, I want that. But, isn't it too soon?" Axel asked wide-eyed.

  "Not for mom and dad agrees too, especially where his princess is concerned. They don't know yet that you both were fooling around if they did, you won't be leaving this place without a ring in your hand."

  “We are not fooling around.” Axel swallowed nervously and looked at the Sinclairs, who now greeted Ricardo and his wife. His gaze went to Samantha again and his confusion seemed to fade momentarily in the background.

  Chapter – 29

  Axel met Ricardo's family and his wife, Harley was so much similar to his mom and Narmadha. Gracie was a ball of energy, reminding him so much of his sister Naina.

  The guys surrounded Axel and after the first introductions, they talked and behaved as if they had known him for years. Axel never felt out-of-place for a moment, when the guys offered beer, he declined once again. Samantha gave him a broad smile, making his heart swell.

  Samantha appreciated every little thing he did and he was just being him, he didn't even do it for her sake. He wondered how easy it was to please her. It is also easy to break her, he reminded himself.

  Was it going to be like this for the rest of their lives? If it was, how lucky he was to get a girl like her.

  "You're staring," his father teased as he plopped on the picnic chair next to him.

  "I can't help it," Axel added after a content sigh.

  "I heard what Eric asked you earlier," Henry stated. "What do you think?"

  Axel sighed tiredly and rubbed his face. "Don't know, dad. Isn't it too early for that?"

  "What does your heart says, Axel?"

  "I want her, every time I look at her, I keep wanting more," he answered truthfully.

  "Then, what's stopping you?" Henry probed softly.

  "There are many things. What if I hurt her? What if I can't make her happy?"

  "Her face lits up every time she looks at you. She is happy, son. You make her happy."

  "But, Dad..." Axel drawled in an unsure voice. "What if- what if she doesn't find me satisfying? What if she hates me if something goes wrong?" He couldn't meet his father's eyes as he said that. He found it hard to swallow as emotions clogged his throat.

  “You got to be more specific than that, son.”

  “I keep thinking this. Alicia, she claimed that I wasn’t a boyfriend material. That I was a sloppy kisser and the sex was so bad that no girl would want to be with me,” Axel confessed. Only his therapist and Samantha knew the details. Speaking about Alicia was hard, yet he needed his dad’s advice.

  "Sex is just a part of the married life, son." Gregory's voice startled Axel.

  "Were you eavesdropping?!" Axel deadpanned.

  "Where my daughter's life is concerned, yes." Gregory shrugged in a nonchalant manner as he took a seat beside them. Axel shook his head in disbelief and shared a look with his father, his lips set in a thin line.

  "If you ask me I would say that Samantha doesn't care about your ability in bed. If she chose you, then she will happily live with you even if you don’t have a dick."

  "Gregory!" Henry exclaimed in an unbelievable tone.

  "What? It's true. If a girl truly loves you she doesn’t give a damn about your flaws. Tell me, Axel, what will you do if something happened to my daughter after your marriage? Let's say, she can no longer satisfy your sexual needs. Will you leave her or will you take care of her and continue to love her?"

  Axel looked offended as he progressed what Gregory just said. "That's ridiculous. Nothing will happen to her," he hissed.

  "She is my daughter, Axel. I won't let anything happen to my baby girl. Now, answer my question."

  Axel thought about it for a moment. "Of course I will love her and I will tend to every need of her," Axel replied in a sincere tone.

  "Now, answer this. Has Samantha ever judged you?"

  Axel's gaze scanned the crowd, landing on Samantha who was laughing at something Amelia said. "No," he whispered.

  “She was beside you at every step you took in the past year. She didn’t leave when you were being a jerk and told her off. Do you think she would judge you now?”

  “No.”

  "You have your answer, son. I knew Narmadha was it for me during our third date. She was and is, fascinating, I liked the way she looked at the aspects of life. She loved and protected what belonged to her," Gregory stated.

  "I proposed to your mother during our fourth date. I knew it the day we met, I was a goner when she met my eyes and gave me that bright smile of hers. I knew I wanted to see that smile every day in my life forever," Henry piped in.

  "Do I have your blessings, Gregory?" Axel asked, not taking his glance from Samantha. She met his eyes and gave him a smile, which said everything was going to be fine.

  "Welcome to the family, son," Gregory clapped on his shoulder. Axel smiled as happiness bubbled within him.

  "Oh, and always remember, women like my wife and daughter are a force to reckon with. Always stay truthful and don’t try to hide anything from her." Gregory warned and Axel's body shuddered at the memory of Samantha's outburst.

  "I'll never forget that," Axel nodded.

  "Looks like someone got a taste of it," Gregory teased.

  "You could say that. Fortunately, I was able to explain and make her understand before she could fry my ass,” Axel chuckled at the memory.

  Gregory nodded as he took a swig from his beer. "She will jump off the cliff for you, Axel. Treat my girl with the love and respect she deserves. I believe you boy, but be the reason for her tears you'll see how worse the wrath of a Sinclair can be."

  Axel regarded Gregory for a moment and knew that he meant every word. He expected the warning sooner. "I'll never even imagine of something like that. I'll cherish her for the rest of my life."

  "All right, then. Want another beer, Henry?"

  "Nah... Sara doesn't like me drinking, yet she allows me to have one or two occasionally. I already had two and I like to sleep in my bed at nights."

  Gregory boomed with laughter. "Don't even remind me about that. Never get on the bad side of a woman."

  "True," Henry joined his laughter as Axel watched them with a smile. His gaze once again found Samantha who was engaged in a thump fight with Keith, who seemed to win every time.

  "Your thumb is longer than mine."

  Axel chuckled internally, hearing her whine, the pout on her lips tempted him to go over and kiss her. He traced the
jewelry box once again. Mrs. Samantha Finlayson that sounded so perfect.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  The sun has set and the night was still young as the youngsters sprawled on the well-mowed lawn, enjoying the last few weeks of warmth before the winter started.

  Samantha sat next to Axel, a few feet away from the crowd, exhausted and just observing everyone. Axel noticed the way she kept rubbing her toes occasionally.

  "Are you hurt?" He asked with a voice filled with concern.

  "Nah... I shouldn't have worn that peep toe heel. It was a mistake," Samantha grimaced. Walking around in a five-inch heel was definitely not in her pleasant experiences list.

  "Let me see," Axel said as he slowly pulled her leg on his lap. "You should wear whatever is comfortable to you."

  Samantha burst out laughing. "Then, I'll have to walk barefoot all day."

  An emotion passed through Axel's face and he was quick to mask it. "I'd prefer seeing you in barefoot," his voice a few octaves lower than usual, caressed her insides. And pregnant with his child, his subconscious added.

  A satisfying moan left her mouth as he started massaging her foot. The youngsters who happen to notice their small display of affection snickered while the elder's beamed, sharing secret glances between them.

  Axel took his time rubbing her soft feet, the world around him long forgotten. He tickled her now and then. He softly pulled her toe until he could hear a satisfying pop.

  "If you keep doing that, I'm gonna fall asleep anytime now," she confessed and let out an audible yawn as a proof.

  "I don't mind carrying you back to the bed," Axel shrugged.

  Samantha hummed. "I'd say the foot massage is better than an orgasm."

  "What? You think this is better than an orgasm?" Axel asked curiously.

  "That was mind-blowing. But, I should admit, this is heaven." Samantha sighed in content.

  "You're really weird," he shook his head with a smile. A woman who prefers foot massage over an orgasm was definitely weird, but very Samantha like.

  "That I am, come on, Axel, that's why you love me," she pouted and he burst out laughing.

  "What? You don't love me anymore?" Though asked in a playful tone, Axel could feel the expectation she managed to hide so well. They never talked about love before and her hopeful look told him that she was indirectly asking if he felt something more for her.