Family: Out of Business

Squeezed

EJ's pov

What now? I thought.

"Really, God?" I voiced my disbelief out loud, as I raised my head to the heavens and chuckled. This can't be happening right now. "How much more can you pile on my plate, Lord, before I finally break?" I lowered my head and sighed as I rubbed my eyes, feeling quite defeated right now.

I was quickly snapped out of my pity party as my niece appeared in the doorway shouting, "UNCLE EJ, HURRY! DAD NEEDS YOU RIGHT NOW!"

No rest for the wicked. Eh, God? I thought, looking up as I shook my head and smiled. I hear ya, message received loud and clear. If this wasn't so tragic, it'd be comical.

"I'll be right there, Claire," I replied, without bothering to face her. "Go help your father."

"No, Uncle EJ! You hafta come right now! Aunt Lexie's in labor," she spat out, inbetween her gasps for breath as she was not only overwhelmed by her aunt's current circumstance but still in shock over the ordeal she'd just suffered through with Luciano.

"Francesca, do not test me right now. That baby isn't going to be born for several more hours, which leaves me plenty of time to spank your bratty little ass if need be. Sono chiaro (Am I clear)?" Of course I have no intention of disciplining her right now but I want to convey my confidence by returning her to a sense of normalcy so she won't be so frightened and distraught.

I knew my plan was working when she stomped her foot and grunted, "UGGHHH!" before turning to leave as she called back out to her father. "DAD! Uncle EJ's not helping, he's just being annoying!"

"HEY!" I yelled, stopping her in her tracks.

"WHAT?" she snapped back with attitude, which actually made me smile. This girl's gonna be just fine.

"Give me my phone back," I ordered, holding my hand out. When she complied by slapping it into the palm of my hand, I quickly grabbed her wrist before she could flee. "I don't need the attitude, little one," I snarled, pocketing my phone before slapping her ass. Sense of normalcy. "Take your aunt's phone and give it to your father," I said, forcing Lexie's phone on her as I let go of her wrist and pushed her towards the door. "I said I'll be there in a minute and I will. Now go!" Before my bratty niece was even out of the room, I had the phone dialed and to my ear. I need to make a few calls to have Luciano's body taken care of, along with the mess his sorry cowardice bitch ass left behind as evidence of his comeuppance.

After taking care of family business, I took a deep breath and proceeded down the hall to take care of mia famiglia (my family). Tony and Claire were kneeling beside Lexie as she laid on the floor clutching her stomach and moaning.

"Shouldn't we call an ambulance?" Claire asked her dad in a panic.

"No time, Sweetpea. By the time they would get all the way out here to your grandfather's estate, it'd be too late. We're gonna drive her there ourselves." Tony was just about to call out to me when he looked up and saw me standing nearby with the keys to the SUV in my hand.

"Let's go," I ordered, helping Tony get Lexie to her feet. "Do you think you can walk, sorella (sister)?"

Breathing too heavily and too distraught to respond, Lexie simply nodded.

When Claire started following us down the stairs, I said, "You're gonna stay here with Lorenzo, bambina (baby girl)."

Instead of listening to me, her incredibly handsome and wise uncle, she of course started to argue.

"NO! I want to come with. Daaad," she whined, in that incredibly annoying, high-pitched squeal she's so fond of assaulting my ears with all the time.

"Claire, it'd really be better if you stayed here. Okay, love?" Tony said, completely winded from trying to assist our now rather large sister down the last of a long flight of stairs.