Chapter Text
“What does he want?” Buck asked softly.
Jonah glanced in the rearview mirror before turning his gaze to the road. Buck exhaled before muttering insults under his breath like the overgrown man child he was. Shaking his head, Jonah pulled up to the docks.
Buck took a deep breath before opening the car door. He followed Jonah up the gangway towards his father’s yacht. The white boat practically glowed from the moonlight reflecting from the water.
All Buck knew was that someone was about to enter a watery grave. As always, he hoped it wasn’t himself.
Or
Phillip Buckley and Bobby Nash are on Athena’s most wanted list, Hen and Chim keep anything from being pinned on their boss, Buck is the only heir to the largest dealer in LA, and Eddie is Buck’s bodyguard. The mafia AU absolutely no one asked me for.
Love’s the Death of Peace of Mind
Chapter 1: Don’t Dig Another Grave Today
Edmundo Diaz was a highly trained killer. He was special forces. He had medical training. He was prepared for any situation. He was never off guard. He was quiet and calculating. He had a reputation for being unbelievably cold.
Yet, he was completely caught off guard at the man sitting at his kitchen table. Neither moved for a minute before the older man smiled. Clean, crisp suit, concealed pistol, and tactical knife. The stranger practically screamed mafia but worse. Probably ex-military turned hitman turned gangster. Something was definitely wrong here.
No way in hell should the old man have been able to get in.
“Edmundo Diaz, I have a job offer for you.”
.
Taylor’s back hit the mattress with such force that the frame shook. She could smell the scent of whiskey and smoke still on their clothes from the club. Her hands toyed with his belt as he pushed her dress up.
“Birthday Boy’s eager,” she teased.
Buck smirked as leaned in to kiss her and mumbled, “You only turn twenty-six once.”
The smirk instantly vanished the second the door was thrown open. Buck flinched before turning to glare at the offending man coming through the door.
“Jonah! Out!”
“Your father wants a word.”
Jonah grabbed Buck’s bicep and immediately began pulling him from the room. Taylor merely shrugged before flopping against the pillows. So much for that.
Buck pulled against Jonah’s death grip as he struggled to buckle his belt and straighten his shirt. The mercenary merely shepherded the kid down the hallway towards the exit of the apartment building.
“I can walk on my own!” Buck snapped before being shoved towards the staircase.
Buck had always disliked the older man. Jonah had worked for Phillip for years. He’d always been cold and cruel. A former Green Beret turned hired gun for Phillip Buckley turned professional asshole.
With one final shove, Buck found himself in the back of a black Mercedes. With his arms crossed, Buck sulked against the door as he continued to glare at Jonah.
Jonah had never been fond of Buck either. Then again, Bobby, Chimney, and Hen were the only ones that cared for the whiny brat. Phillip certainly didn’t. He’s fairly sure Phillip would’ve killed the kid if it weren’t for the fact that Buck was the only remaining offspring he had left alive. The sole heir to the Buckley Empire.
Quite pathetic actually. Really pathetic.
Phillip was a ruthless leader and Evan would cry his eyes out at the death of a puppy dog in a movie. Phillip was cold and calculating but the kid would rather volunteer his time playing chutes and ladders with five year olds from foster homes. His boss diligently filled the city with laundered money, guns, and drugs while Evan was busy filling pussies and assholes.
Jonah was quick to remind Phillip every chance he got that he could always make another kid. Yet, Bobby was always quick to shoot down any idea of offing the kid. While he was so protective of the brat, no one knew. Then again, no one dared to argue with Robert Nash including Phillip Buckley. Nash was dangerous and the best out of all of them with absolutely nothing to lose. No one picked a fight with the man and walked away alive.
“What does he want?” Buck asked softly.
Jonah glanced in the rearview mirror before turning his gaze to the road. Buck exhaled before muttering insults under his breath like the overgrown man child he was. Shaking his head, Jonah pulled up to the docks.
Buck took a deep breath before opening the car door. He followed Jonah up the gangway towards his father’s yacht. The white boat practically glowed from the moonlight reflecting from the water.
All Buck knew was that someone was about to enter a watery grave. As always, he hoped it wasn’t himself.
.
Buck wanted to crawl under the dining table. All of Phillip’s connections were seated at the table. All of his guards were hiding in the shadows or were scattered around the table. Bobby was directly behind Phillip, who would shoot Buck a slight, reassuring nod every time the kid shot him a nervous glance. Hen was seated to his right. The woman would give his knee a sharp squeeze every now and then.
Hen was Phillip’s personal doctor. She’d always been like a big sister to the kid especially since they’d lost Maddie. Buck glanced over to see Chimney slipping in and out of the shadows as he made his rounds around the yacht. Poor Chim… He had been Maddie’s personal bodyguard till the day she died at the hands of Doug Kendall nearly a year ago.
Buck was pretty sure that the only reason Chimney was still here was because he’d personally returned with a duffle bag full of heads including Doug’s. Still, that was the day Buck had suddenly become visible to his father again. Buck still wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
Forcing himself to swallow the steak before him, Buck risked a glance at his father. Phillip was busy staring at each and every person at the table. All small talk immediately ceased as the man suddenly stood with his glass of bourbon in his hand.
All eyes were on the man as he began his speech, “I’ve always had a mission… A mission to take revenge on those who sought to ruin me. A plan to fill this city with what it deserves… And yet, one of you here wants to destroy my vision… One of you possesses the audacity to attempt to ruin me. Trying to betray me to those self-righteous pigs, how dare you. You know what the punishment for going against me is.”
It all happened so fast, Buck could have thrown up right then and there. One minute everyone was seated and still. The next second, Vincent Gerrard was out of his chair. Jonah moved to push Phillip down, completely blocking Bobby’s line of sight. Hen scrambled for Buck’s arm as a hand tangled itself in his thick curls and yanked him out of the chair.
"Bobby!"
Scrambling for the arm over his windpipe, Buck instantly froze when he felt the tip of a knife at his jugular. A tiny trail of blood began to stain his collar as it slid down the handle of the metal weapon.
Bobby was up with his gun aimed at the traitor. Phillip looked more angrier at the fact that Jonah had spilled his boss’s bourbon instead of the fact that his son was being used as a human shield. Hen looked fearful while Chim was nowhere to be seen. Jonah looked thrilled with the possibility of the kid dying. At least the other guards and criminals had the decency to look upset. Bobby on the other hand had no expression on his face.
"Let him go," Bobby ground out between his clenched teeth.
Buck solely focused on the older man as Vincent immediately began barking his demands right into Buck’s ear. “I’ll kill the kid! Drop the gun, Bobby! Head back to shore right now! You try anything and he-”
The only sound was the crack of a bullet striking flesh. Vincent fell backwards into the dark water with a bullet between his eyes. Buck could only stare in surprise as a man appeared from the shadows with Chim at his heels.
The stranger couldn’t have been much older with dark hair and eyes. He looked like sin with the way the suit hugged his body and managed to accent his stubble and slick backed hair. Buck swallowed hard as the stranger turned his attention to his father and sultry stated, “Threat neutralized, sir.”
Hen immediately filled his vision as she reached for his neck. Buck’s eyes flickered down to her as she fussed over him. Buck had to tear his eyes away from the stranger as Hen dragged him below deck to his room.
“Buckaroo, you okay?” she asked.
Plopping down on the bed, Buck tilted his head back so Hen could swipe an alcohol wipe over the shallow cut. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she was sure the kid wasn't going to drop dead on her watch.
Bobby darkened the doorway with concern on his face. Buck blushed under their care. Crossing the room, Bobby gripped Buck’s shoulder before asking, “You okay, kid?”
Buck managed a nod. Bobby returned the gesture before glancing between Hen and the doorway. She took the hint before walking away with a promise to come running if Buck needed anything.
Bobby ran a hand through the kid’s hair. Buck closed his eyes as his mind drifted back to all the times Bobby had been the one to hold him or wipe his tears away or chase away the nightmares. He’d always been there. Always.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah… Did my dad say anything?”
The corners of Bobby’s lips turned up into a sad smile. “He was concerned.”
“Just not about me.”
Bobby took a seat on the edge of the bed beside the boy and pulled a poorly wrapped gift out of his jacket pocket. A smile spread across Buck’s face as he accepted the present.
“You remembered.”
Bobby gave the kid a quick one-armed hug before muttering, “Have I ever forgotten?”
“No… Hey, Bobby, who was that guy? You know, the one that saved me?”
“Eddie Diaz… He’s your new bodyguard for a while. I'm taking Jonah off your detail and reassigning him to your father.”
“Great… Wait… What?”
Bobby sighed before sternly replying, “It’s only temporary… I don’t want you going anywhere or doing anything without him… It’s not safe right now. That’s all I can say on the matter. Understand?”
“Someone threatened to kill me… Someone other than Vincent, didn’t they?”
Bobby pursed his lips as Buck continued, “And you don’t know who… You think it’s another mole?”
“I don’t know yet, kid. I don’t know.”