Reading Time: 126 Minutes

Title: Intangible
Author: Keira Marcos
Fandom: 9-1-1
Relationship: Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz, canon background pairings
Genre: Paranormal, Alternate Setting, Romance
Warnings: Explicit sex, discussion-grief, discussion-afterlife, discussion-crossing over, discussion-murder, character bashing, and demon stuff.
Author’s Note: I think Chimney Han is an asshole, and I think Maddie Kendall is ultimately self-involved to a very unhealthy degree. If that ideology offends you, do not read this story. Your negative feedback on how I handle characterization is never desired.
Word Count:  60,275
Beta: Ladyholder
Summary: Evan Buckley, a popular medium on the Beyond Channel, needs a new videographer. He’s always needing a new videographer because shit gets too real, and no amount of advanced warning seems to help. Bobby Nash, the head of 118 Productions, decides to try things from a different angle and Eddie Diaz, formerly of the US Army and journalist, is his solution.

* * * *

Chapter 1

Eddie Diaz resisted the urge to rub his damp hands on his slacks as he sat down in front of Robert Nash, the executive producer for several award-winning and popular television shows on the Beyond Channel. He needed the job he was interviewing for badly and not just for the substantial paycheck. His parents had been overtly trying to take his kid since he’d divorced his wife, and the last volley had come with a series of complaints about his career and how he made money.

Working as a freelance journalist had been a natural segue for him once he’d been discharged from the Army. He’d been pursuing journalism as more of a hobby than a career option since high school, and leaving the Army had given him a lot of freedom to write and film the world around him. His first major series of videos had been on the plight of veterans in the US, and his son, Christopher, had encouraged him to not only make them but to create a YouTube channel to share them. He’d ended up getting a distribution deal with a successful streaming service, which had netted him a Pulitzer just eighteen months after leaving the Army.

His parents hated the fact that he traveled a lot during the summers and took his son with him. They didn’t enjoy his success or brag about it to anyone. In fact, Eddie figured his father was actually sort of embarrassed that his only son had what Ramon considered to be a soft career. Working behind the camera and winning the award had netted him an invitation to contribute to several magazines and the New York Times. He made more than enough money to provide for his kid, but freelance work was never a guarantee, and Eddie knew his parents would use that against him if things ever escalated to a court situation.

“I must admit, Mr. Diaz, I was surprised by your application,” Robert Nash said conversationally as he shifted a thick stack of stapled papers out of his way. Eddie watched the probable script be added to an already precarious pile on the corner of the desk. “We don’t get a lot of interest from journalists of your success.”

“I’ve been fortunate,” Eddie said. “And I stumbled upon a topic that garnered a lot of sympathy and public attention. I’m also grateful that the spotlight I put on the VA has created a momentum for change. Not every veteran is as lucky as I am on the mental health front. Even now, I have my moments.”

“You were shot,” Nash said as he pulled a folder close and opened it. “Three times?”

“Yes, I was part of a medical convoy,” Eddie said and cleared his throat. “I’ve had a full physical recovery, and the nightmares are seldom. Writing, photography, and video production were hobbies for me in high school. I fell back on the creative process for comfort during my recovery. My son was the one to suggest I do a project about being a veteran and what it meant to be discharged out of a job I intended to make my career.”

“You made a full recovery. Why did they discharge you?”

“My recovery time exceeded the length of my remaining enlistment, and I wasn’t sure about a third tour overseas,” Eddie said. “I just wanted to come home to my kid and requested a transfer to a base in the US. I wouldn’t really engage on any other topic when I first got injured. The DOD cut their losses, basically.” He shrugged. “It happens a lot.”

“Yes, your documentary series proved that,” Nash said thoughtfully and rocked his chair a little. “Your care with the subject matter and the tone you set for the YouTube series was outstanding. I wasn’t surprised when I heard you’d been given a contract for the project on Platform. You turned down a second project with them. Why?”

“They wanted me to embed in a war zone,” Eddie said. “I had the military experience and contacts to do it—but I couldn’t leave my son like that again. I’m a single parent now, and Christopher deserves more from me. That’s part of the reason I’m seeking a full-time job. I need reliable employment that will allow me to provide for him and give me at least some kind of schedule to work around.”

“Last year, the star of our most successful paranormal show, Ghost Investigations, got pregnant. The network didn’t want to pause production, and since she is a physical medium, she simply could not work in highly active environments where she’d have been at risk of a physical attack,” Nash explained. “She suggested we ask her brother, a psychic medium, to take her place for the ten episodes that she couldn’t film. He agreed.”

Eddie nodded. “My abuela watches that show. She really enjoyed Evan Buckley’s work—though I can’t decide if that’s because the content was so different or because of his looks. She did spend a lot of time telling everyone how attractive he is.”

Nash grinned. “Yeah, the feedback on his looks was significant.” He cleared his throat. “But what he brought to the table was very different and compelling. So compelling, in fact, that the last half of that season had nearly twice the viewership for both broadcast and streaming than the show has ever enjoyed. It was known to be a guest placement from the start, but within three episodes, we started getting feedback on the possibility of keeping him on the show or giving him his own.  

“We started out with some short productions for streaming. The numbers were so great that Beyond issued an order for a full twenty-five-episode run. The short works were done on location with an established crew from Ghost Investigations. Once the order came down and contracts were signed, we put together a crew for the new series, which is called Conversations with the Dead.”

Eddie nodded. “I read the small description for the job. If this is already in production, why are you looking for a videographer now?”

“Because the three I hired all quit on the spot and practically fled the locations we’d set up,” Nash said plainly. “Buck is frustrated, and his field partner, Lou Ransone, is as well since three of their projects were basically rendered useless for production purposes. Once Buck starts the conversation, he can’t just let it go. He finished each case, and there is no real usable footage.”

Eddie considered that and squinted a little before he could help himself. “What…kind of footage would he get? He’s a psychic medium, you said. How much production value can be had in a one-sided conversation?” He paused. “No offense.”

Nash grinned. “Oh, there’s nothing one-sided about Buck’s conversations with the dead, and that’s the problem, you see.” He stared for a moment. “But maybe you’re exactly what Buck and Lou need.”

“What is Lou Ransone’s background?”

“He’s a retired LAPD homicide detective, and the first three cases were his. Buck’s seeking out the spirits of murder victims, helping them overcome their trauma, and crossing them over.”

Eddie barely kept his mouth from dropping open. The idea was very appealing, and he hoped the storytelling would live up to the premise. “That’s why the production is local?”

“So far, but we’ll branch out eventually as Buck would like to explore some historical locations and seek out victims of distant crimes that he knows to be out there. We can arrange those to shoot in the summer so your son can travel with you if childcare is a problem.”

Eddie’s gut clenched in excitement. “The job’s mine, Mr. Nash?”

“Call me Bobby,” the man said and stood. “And yes, Mr. Diaz, the project is yours. If you like it and the work, then we can discuss an expansion of your job at the 118 because it would be a shame to waste your talent as a producer. Currently, Buck and Lou’s show doesn’t have a producer as they’re still feeling their way into the content they want to produce.” He paused and shrugged. “As long as you can handle what Buck’s gifts are bringing to the table and don’t run screaming into the night.”

Eddie relaxed back in his chair with a nod. “I don’t run.”

* * * *

Buck wrapped a towel around his waist and pointedly ignored the foot-tall demon who’d sat themselves on his bathroom counter. He had very strict rules about his home and enforced them with a variety of methods. How his current guest had gotten past the salt line was a point of concern but not his biggest point of irritation.

“It’s rude to ignore someone.”

It was rude, he thought, for a fucking demon to ignore his overt no-trespassing policy. He sent the little jerk a hard look.

“I’m just sayin’,” the demon said hotly and waved both of its arms. “I’ve got feelings, Buck.”

Buck rubbed the center of his forehead with two fingers and took a deep breath. “Fine. What do you want?”

“You don’t want to know my name?” it asked and stuck out its bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.

Asking a demon’s name was a surefire way to get a permanent house guest, and Buck knew it. “I’m not an idiot. Don’t treat me like one.”’

It huffed and crossed its arms over its naked chest.

“And put on some clothes,” Buck ordered. He could’ve really done without seeing a demon’s dick first thing in the morning.

“You were naked! I was just trying to make you feel less self-conscious,” the demon retorted but shrugged, and a little black suit shimmered into place on its body. It petted one of its curled horns as if it was preening and offered Buck a razor-sharp smile. “Better?”

“It’s fine.”

“Fine?” the demon demanded. “This is Tom Ford.”

“I prefer the new Dolce & Gabbana line, personally,” Buck said dryly and left his bathroom, taking off his towel to dry off.

“Do you know hard it is to get an appointment with them?” the demon demanded as it trotted after him. “Seriously! They take forever, and their stuff never shrinks down to my size properly once I take off the glamour. So, they aren’t bringing quality to the table.”

“How tragic.”

“It is, smartass. I’m not above kicking you in the head.”

Buck looked down and raised an eyebrow. “Did you want me to lay down on the floor so you can do it?”

The demon glared furiously, and smoke trailed out of both nostrils. “You heightist!”

Buck snorted. “Your height is the last thing I’m holding against you, bud. Why are you even here?”

“I got issues!” the demon declared. “And everyone says you’re the nice one. And your sister’s boyfriend is a real jackhole, so I didn’t even try to talk to her.”

Buck didn’t really think much of Chimney Han, but it was amusing to know that a demon actively disliked him. “She has terrible taste.”

“Boy does she,” the demon muttered. “Everyone says she likes to date the human equivalent of a poltergeist, and that’s the fucking truth! Her house feels awful.”

“Don’t go near my niece again,” Buck ordered as he pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the closet. “I’ll drop kick you off this fucking planet. Clear?” He turned and focused on the demon.

“Yeah, fine, whatever. Maddie’s boring anyways. I don’t want to be part of her sideshow. I was in a circus once. Worst two weeks of my whole damn existence.” The demon waved both hands and stomped its hoof. “The worst! I set the owner on fire. With permission, of course, because that’s why I was there. He’d sold his soul to the Boss, then he tried to cancel the deal by tearing up the contract.”

“Bad idea,” Buck muttered. “What are your issues? Did you get kicked out of demonhood?”

The demon sent him a sour look.

“Oh, wait,” Buck said with a laugh as he started to dress. “You did? You got kicked out of Hell?”

“I’m not a high-order demon, as you already fucking know, so I was never in Hell, to begin with!” It waved both arms in an exaggerated fashion and nearly tipped over. “I was a private contractor, and I got fired, Buck. This is serious. I migrated from Greece ages ago for that job, and I’ve been fired by some sorry bastard who’s barely worked a day in his undeadhood and doesn’t even know how to walk on Earth properly. He showed up looking like a goat, for fuck’s sake, and we haven’t done that shit since forever!”

Buck plucked some socks from a drawer and sat down on the bed. “Greece, huh? So, you’re a daimon, specifically.”

“A ker, if you want to put a fine point on it,” the demon said. “By origin, at least, but I left that boring ass job behind thousands of years ago.”

“Keres were female death spirits,” Buck said.

“Great, now you’re being demonphobic!” the demon huffed and threw itself on the floor to stare at the ceiling.

“I’m not being any sort of phobic,” Buck said with a laugh. “That’s what the history books say. Keres were the daughters of Nyx, the goddess of the night. Besides, demons aren’t on the binary in any real physical sense. You’re just presenting as a physical male, which is not the norm historically. I’ve made no assumptions about your gender preference at all.”

It huffed. “I’m a boy. Nyx was my great-grandmother.”

“Fine, you’re a boy,” Buck said easily. “I can’t do a damn thing about you being fired.”

“I need a job,” he said and sat up. “And that’s where you come in.”

“No.” Buck pointed a finger at him. “Absolutely not.”

“You’re playing with the heavies now, Buck,” he warned. “You need more than a fussy old granny for a spirit guide. You crossed over the victim of a serial killer last week, and if I hadn’t been there to scare him off—he’d have jumped you. He was stalking you around the whole time you had your mind open. I know you felt him.”

“I like my fussy old granny spirit guide,” Buck said, without acknowledging the rest, because he had felt the deeply ugly spirit of the killer, but he’d ignored it because they were filming. He’d hoped to keep the camera guy on task and steady. It hadn’t worked.

“Verity’s abrasive, opinionated, and stubborn, which are great qualities. But she can’t have your back in a fight on the physical plane like I can.” He tapped his chest. “I can throw down.”

Buck grinned. “Sure you can, all twelve inches of you.”

“It’s fourteen and a half inches, thank you very fucking much, and I’m great in a fight!” he exclaimed. “I’ve got an extensive curriculum vitae to back it up. I’ve won whole battles, Buck! I beat down a hellhound once! The whole thing! All three heads!” He smacked his fist against his palm. “I’m a badass.”

Buck leaned back on his hands with a grin and stared. It was really the last thing he needed, but also, the idea of telling everyone he’d hired a demon to work as his spiritual bodyguard was amusing as fuck. The little thing was incapable of lying to him, so at least Buck knew that he could trust the words coming out of his mouth. “How’d you get past my salt line?”

“That asshole your sister’s dating broke the line yesterday when he came to pick up the baby.”

“On purpose?” Buck questioned, though he already knew the answer.

“Yeah, of course,” the demon said and shrugged. “I’ve been watching over the breach all night while you slept. He’s a real problem. We should ruin his fucking life. I know a kobold down at the Santa Monica pier who takes up revenge jobs on the side if you’re interested. She wouldn’t bother your sister or the baby.”

“Keep them in reserve,” Buck said. “And you’re hired.” He raised a hand when the demon cheered. “I’m not going to ask your name, and you can’t live in the house. You know that would be really bad for my health. I’ll set up a place for you to make a home on the property. I’m going to call you Jax.”

“Accepted. I don’t like giving humans my real name anyways, and I have my own house,” the demon said. “Just show me where I can put it—in the bushes near the back would probably be best.” He paused. “Can I use the pool?”

Buck sighed. “Yeah, I guess. Fortunately for you, I converted from the saltwater pool the original owners had.”

“Great, I prefer my payment in gold coin—three half-ounce American Eagles a week,” Jax said. “I marked the salt line breach. You’re welcome.” He disappeared with a wisp of smoke.

Buck put on his boots and went outside to check the damage. He’d established his salt line mere hours after he’d closed on the house before he’d moved a single stick of furniture into the place. Since Chimney had been leaving with Jee, he probably hadn’t gone far off the beaten path. It wasn’t much of a surprise to find a pair of sticks crossed on the spot a few feet from the front drive like in an X. The property was gated, and he had barriers up along the entire fence line, but the salt barrier was specifically placed to keep demons out, a very important factor in maintaining his mental health.

Keres, like Jax, could be toxic in confined spaces and cause physical illness just due to their nature. But a high-order demon could drive someone insane, and they were especially fond of attacking mediums. The grass looked undisturbed, so it hadn’t been a physical breach of the ground, which meant a liquid of some sort that chemically neutralized the salt that had sank into the ground years ago when he’d first put it down.

“Lemonade.”

Buck looked up and found Jax standing on the opposite side of the salt line. “That’s what he had in the flask? He normally keeps water in it.”

“Holy water,” Jax said and rolled his eyes. “Like that shit works.”

“It works on some,” Buck said in amusement. “Not little guys like you, though. Why’d you get fired?”

Jax crossed his arms. “That bastard said I was old, and he retired me.”

Buck pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “I see.”

“I’ll fuck you up, Buckley,” Jax said darkly. “I’m in the prime of my eternity! Retired? That jacked-up, moronic, self-important goat boy doesn’t know the fucking first thing about the real world. His daddy got him that job. He’s never even scared a human before, Buck! Your toddler niece would laugh at him!”

“Jee’s pretty hard to impress,” Buck said with a grin. He shook the water bottle full of salt water that he’d pulled from storage and considered the contents.

“Feels strong,” Jax said and made a face, then crossed his arms. “Does this dude that your sister is shacked up with know what happened to the first husband?”

Buck shrugged. Doug Kendall had been married to his sister for about six months before he’d made the mistake of punching her in the face. Maddie’s spirit guide jumped Doug…and didn’t leave his body until the man was catatonic. He’d never recovered as far as Buck knew and was still in a long-term care ward that his parents paid for since Maddie had divorced him and ran away.

“I doubt it. Maddie leads Chimney Han around by the dick, and he doesn’t even know it. Or he doesn’t care.” Buck poured the salt water along the breach and kept doing so until the two-liter bottle was empty. “How does that feel?”

“Strong,” Jax admitted and grimaced. “Gross.” He shuddered.

Buck laughed. “Come around back. We’ll pick a place for your house, and I’ll make you a door through my wards so you can come into the house when necessary. But I need you to limit my exposure. Getting sick would make me vulnerable.”

“I’m willing to wear an amulet,” Jax offered. “I wouldn’t want to make you sick. If you can’t work, you don’t get paid, then I don’t get paid, and I’ve got needs, Buck.”

“Yeah, like a suit by Tom Ford,” Buck said wryly. “I get it. I haven’t made an amulet in years, so I don’t have any on hand. Amelia Coltrane keeps them in stock in her store. I can have one customized to your body chemistry, if you’re serious about it, so it doesn’t impact your abilities.”

“I like to eat grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free beef,” Jax said. “That shit’s expensive. We need to make money around here.”

Buck laughed. “Come on, you little asshole. We’ll find a spot for your house. I’ll text Amelia, and she’ll get something ready for you. I expect you to be very polite in her workshop and keep your clothes on.”

“Yeah, fine. Whatever.”

Buck shook his head and walked around his house to the backyard. “I have a pool cleaning service. Do not interact with them at all—else we won’t have a clean pool to swim in. Did you want your house inside or outside of the salt line?”

“Outside in case there’s a problem with it,” Jax said and pointed toward the back hedge. “Between the stone fence and the hedge. That feels safe.”

“Sure,” Buck agreed, and shortly he watched Jax put a miniature house into place. He tilted his head. “Is that a doll house?”

Jax huffed. “No, it’s a custom Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired tiny house. I sized it down after I bought it.”

“You know what, bud? I think your problem is that you like to live way too large for your size and circumstances.”

The demon scoffed. “Don’t hate on my game, Buck.”

“Do you know where Amelia’s new shop is?” Buck questioned with a laugh.

Jax shrugged. “Sure, she’s a good human. We keep track of those.” He paused. “And the really bad ones, too. For different reasons.”

“Go there in about an hour and wait politely until she has your amulet ready. Keep having your love affair with Tom Ford; I mean it.”

Jax blew a raspberry at him and disappeared.

* * * *

Buck sat back with a big steaming cup of tea and watched the room fill with the production crew for the show. As a freshman offering on the channel, their budget didn’t support a huge crew. Lou was his partner on screen, and Sae Bu did all of his field videography work. Sae was great behind the camera, and she believed in the project, but she couldn’t follow them both in the field as it would make for stupidly long days. She worked best with Lou, so they’d decided to leave her in that position despite the fact that Buck had sent three people running for their lives.

Bobby Nash entered with the new guy at that point, and Buck nudged Jax, who was seated under the table by his foot. He’d decided to let his new little demon vet any potential videographers going forward. If the man could handle Jax, then he could probably handle a ghost sitting down with Buck to talk about their death.

“Eddie Diaz, this is Lou Ransone, Sae Bu, Karen Wilson, and Evan Buckley. Lou handles field research and selects the cases; Sae is his in-field videographer and editor. Karen Wilson is a psychologist who specializes in psychic trauma. She advises on cases, reviews historical data, and also evaluates the field team periodically to make sure they aren’t suffering any psychological damage. She’s a psychic herself and can treat a variety of ailments, including possession. She also makes the determination for the entire production company regarding the need for exorcism work.”

“Is that a problem?” Eddie questioned.

“We’ve had three over the last five years,” Bobby said. “Two on Ghost Investigations and a third for an editor working on an antique roadshow series. I still don’t know how that happened.” He focused on Buck. “And last but not least, Buck is our medium.”

Buck smiled and gave the man a nod. “I actually have a new hire, Bobby, on the spirit front.”

“Verity agreed to a partner?” Bobby questioned.

“Whose Verity?” Eddie questioned and glanced around the room as they got seated at the table.

“My spirit guide,” Buck explained. “She was executed for witchcraft in 1647. She didn’t exactly agree as much as she accepted that it’s necessary.” He paused. “During the last investigation, the killer was on the property during the course of the conversation and made an attempt to stalk me home. I have enough personal warding that he lost track of me shortly after I left the property, but the situation could’ve gotten out of hand.”

Bobby winced and glanced toward Karen.

“He’s fine,” Karen assured. “And he’s not wrong about needing a heavy hitter on the spiritual front. Verity won’t make the cut despite her age and magical abilities if the fight gets physical.”

“Will I meet Verity?” Eddie questioned, and to his credit, he looked sincere.

Buck considered that because it was individual and not his decision. “She was burned at the stake, so she doesn’t reveal herself under any circumstances—not even as a shadow figure. You may hear her speak depending on your sensitivity, but she doesn’t hang around here much because she finds my sister offensive.” He set down his tea. “As to my new hire, he’s a ker.”

Karen leaned forward when most of the others looked confused. “You hired a demon?”

Buck shrugged when Bobby huffed in shock. “His contract got canceled due to nepotism and agism, so….”

“I thought keres were female,” Eddie interjected. “From Greece, right? One of the guys in my unit, when I served, had one on…tap, so to speak. She did recon and was very good at finding IEDs.”

Jax appeared and tapped one hoof in irritation. “I am a boy.”

Eddie stared for a moment, then grinned. “Yeah, okay. I just only ever met females before. When were you…born?”

“This is Jax,” Buck said easily. “He’s assured me that he’s a badass.”

“Is that Tom Ford?” Lou questioned, and Jax puffed up as he shot Buck a snotty look.

Jax straightened his jacket. “Yes, it is, and I was born in 2328 BCE.” He turned to Buck. “Speaking of my age, Goat Boy contacted me to say I should enjoy my retirement because I filed our agreement with the union. He’s pissy about it and says they can send you proper support if you’re going to fuck around with evil spirits.”

“Tell him to kiss my ass,” Buck said, and Jax wisped away with a sharp grin.

“Do you honestly need demon support?” Bobby questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Probably not,” Buck admitted. “But I did have a salt line breach last night, and he sat watch for me while I slept. Surely to get on my good side, but I appreciate it, and having a little extra help around on that front can’t hurt anything. I ordered him an amulet, so he won’t put off a toxic aura, and he moved his tiny house into my backyard.”

“What do you mean you had a salt line breach?” Karen questioned. “Your line is strong, Buck, and at this point deeply embedded in the ground around your house.”

“It was neutralized on purpose,” Buck said. “I’m still considering the ramifications and the intentions of the offender.” He turned to Lou. “So, what’s on deck for the fourth try for episode one?”

Lou hesitated for a moment. “I was going to suggest a small test run on a historical murder in the area to see how Eddie would handle it, but if a demon standing on the table didn’t send him running toward a church….” He shrugged and opened his laptop. “Jacy Corin was killed by her husband shortly after the birth of their third child. He believed, erroneously, that the child wasn’t his. He denied any involvement in the murder but suggested that the real father of her child was the culprit. Once paternity was proven, he had a nervous breakdown. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a personality disorder but was determined to be legally sane. He’s serving twenty to life in state prison.”

Buck picked up his tea and took a deep breath. “She’s with her children then?”

“Yes, the three children were adopted by her sister. The family wants her to move on. They have been unable to communicate with her or alleviate her worry for her children. She’s followed them to three houses, and her sister, Moira, is frustrated and exhausted by the haunting. It’s starting to impact her health.”

“So, Jacy is trying to mother her children through her sister,” Buck said. “Understandable, but very dangerous. That much exposure to the dead on a regular basis can cause a lot of health problems—degenerative conditions mostly and psychological issues.” He focused on Karen. “We’ll want to refer Moira to a psychotherapist after the case is resolved. It wouldn’t do any good at the moment since she’s still in the situation.”

“Agreed, I’ll interview her after Lou gets his on-camera session and refer her after your conversation.”

Buck nodded and focused on Eddie Diaz. The man looked interested in the conversation but a little skeptical despite the appearance of a demon. “Demons don’t concern you, but you’re on the fence about ghosts?”

“I certainly believe ghosts exist,” Eddie said carefully. “But I was taught in church that genuine communication with them is impossible and attempting it is spiritual interference. I don’t know that I believe either of those things wholesale, but I was practically indoctrinated as a child because my parents are devout to the point of cultish. My mother has always told me that ghosts are being punished by God and deserve no help from us.”

“Wow, I don’t like her at all already,” Buck muttered. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. She’s awful, and my dad’s a professional enabler. Regardless, I’m not offended by the premise of your show or your goals. I’m just…I need to see it to believe it. As to your little ker friend, he’s not a high-order demon, so…there’s no need to outright fear him, right?”

“Eh,” Buck said. “His species has a code of conduct that is quite stringent, but Jax is very dangerous in the right circumstances. The biggest risk with low-order entities, no matter who they work for, is that they are toxic to be around without intervention and can cause a host of illnesses, including cancer. If you piss one off, they can follow you around and basically kill you through attrition with no personal consequences. They’d be punished for the outright physical killing of a human being.” He stood. “Lou will brief you on the rest of the case and set up a filming schedule, Eddie. I don’t stay for the analysis of the victim. It allows me to keep my own impressions of her clean for the reading. It’ll be great working with you. I’m a big fan of your work.”

Bobby stood as well. “Let me walk you to payroll so we can get you a supplement payment to pay for your ridiculously small bodyguard.”

Buck grinned when everyone laughed. “You know a ker can lift and throw over a thousand pounds, right? He’s literally fourteen and a half inches of epic. He wants to get paid in gold coins, and his tiny house is designer. Shit got ridiculous at my house this morning, Bobby.”

“You can tell me all about it,” Bobby said as he prodded Buck out of the room.

Buck gave everyone a wave, and Eddie Diaz just rocked back in his chair and stared.

This, Buck thought, was going to be interesting.

 

 

 

Chapter 2

“It was just a joke,” Chimney said and shrugged.

Buck shared a look with Bobby and barely refrained from glaring at his sister when Maddie relaxed at her boyfriend’s bullshit explanation.

“It was a joke that you broke my salt line and opened my home up to a demonic intrusion?” Buck questioned, and Maddie frowned at him. “I’m lucky that all I got was a ker.”

Maddie grimaced. “I can’t believe you’re letting that little thing live on your property, Buck. Letting her work for you is one thing. I won’t let Jee come to your house as long as she’s there.”

“He is part of my spiritual defense team,” Buck said mildly. “And I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding a free babysitter going forward.” He stood and shook his head when her mouth dropped open. “I didn’t find your so-called joke funny, Chim, so you aren’t welcome in my house or on my property ever again. I’ve already deleted the gates code the two of you have.”

“I need a gate code to get in and use the pool,” Maddie protested.

“Well, I know you can’t be trusted to keep the code to yourself,” Buck said. “So just changing it and giving you a new one isn’t an option. Besides, I’ve told Jax he can use the pool whenever he likes. You know keres love the water.”

“You’re going to keep this little thing and ban your own sister from your property?” Chimney demanded in shock. “Are you fucking serious?”

“That little thing had my back while you were fucking around with my sanity,” Buck said evenly. “And my sister seems to think it’s okay for you to jokingly violate the security of my home. So yeah, Jax stays, and Maddie can go to a public pool.”

“You know Howie didn’t mean any harm,” Maddie protested. “He made a stupid decision and pranked you.”

Buck stared at her for a moment and took a deep breath. “How long has he worked on your show, Maddie?”

“Since the beginning—five years,” Maddie admitted, and her cheeks flushed.

“And over the course of those five years, would you say that Howard Han has learned a lot about the supernatural?”

Maddie’s hands trembled. “Yes, of course.” She closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, tears slid down her cheeks.

Fortunately, Buck had been immune to his sister’s tears since he was a teenager. “So, it stands to reason that he knows that as a psychic medium, I’m uniquely vulnerable in my sleep. He would also know that I am a hard target for any high-order demon I come across.”

Maddie brushed her tears away even as Bobby cursed under his breath. “Yes, he should certainly be aware of all of that.”

“Right, well, his joke is so fucking funny,” Buck said evenly. “You’re both fortunate I can’t file a criminal complaint about this bullshit. But I meant what I said, Chimney, you are never welcome on any property I own again. You’ve broken faith with me, and there’s no coming back from that.”

“If this is the position you’re going to take, then you can’t see Jee at all anymore,” Chimney snapped, and Maddie gasped in shock.

“What?” Buck laughed. “Did you finally agree to go on the birth certificate? Because the last time I heard anything about that—you were hiding your illegitimate daughter from your father to avoid getting cut off financially.”

Maddie’s hand clamped down on Chimney’s arm when he started to stand. “Stop it, right now. You don’t get to decide anything about my daughter, Howie. That was our agreement because your father’s money is more important to you than we are. You owe Buck an apology.”

Chimney scoffed. “I’m sorry he can’t take a joke.”

“You are such a fucking asshole,” Buck muttered, and Chimney shrugged off Maddie’s hold as he shoved back from the table.

Jax appeared on the table with a swirl of smoke and pointed one long finger at Chimney. “Watch your step, Howard Han. Per my contract, I can defend Evan Buckley from spiritual and physical harm. I’ll toss your ass out into the fucking Pacific if you don’t take a seat and mind your manners.”

Chimney sat down, mouth ajar.

“Oh my god,” Maddie exclaimed. “You’re so cute. Look at your little suit.”

“It’s Tom Ford,” Bobby supplied dryly.

“Cute?” Chimney demanded. “He looks like the devil.”

Jax scoffed. “No, I don’t, you fucking moron.” He disappeared with a flick of his dark red forked tail.

Buck focused on Chimney. “No mortal can look upon the true visage of Lucifer Morningstar and remain sane. That’s Demonology 101. In fact, it kills most people outright.”

Maddie exhaled slowly. “Because looking into the eyes of the devil himself is like looking into the void.” She cleared her throat. “Chimney won’t come to your house anymore, Buck. And I won’t bring Jee over as long as that demon lives there. Cute or not, he’s not safe to be around.”

“That’s fine,” Buck said evenly, and she blinked in surprise. “Don’t look surprised, sweetheart. I’ve always known that our relationship is largely transactional because you only ever call when you need something. I’m only here because you needed someone you could trust not to take over your show permanently while you were on maternity leave.”

“Well, you did one worse,” Chimney said with a glare. “You’re the new shiny penny around here, now, Buck. Beyond didn’t even want to give her a raise with the new contract because of you.”

“Actually,” Bobby interjected. “Those contracts stalled out, temporarily, because they didn’t want to pay you more, Chim. They actually asked me if I could replace you on the production.”

Buck laughed. “Can I go, Bobby? This is a waste of my time.”

“Wait,” Chimney said with a frown. “We didn’t get to talk about the reason we asked for this meeting.”

Buck huffed and sat back down when Bobby inclined his head. “I wasn’t aware that you’d asked for a meeting.”

“You’re having a hard time keeping camera crew. It’s gotten around,” Chim said. “Hen thinks she can deal with whatever diva behavior you’re putting on to cause the problem. My brother, Albert, needs a job, so I thought we’d hire him. Hen can go work on Buck’s show. She’d like to work with her wife anyway.”

“Fine,” Bobby said. “Get with HR about your brother. And you can both go.”

“Sure,” Chim said with an easy grin in Buck’s direction.

Buck stayed where he was until they were both gone, and the door was shut. “What about Eddie Diaz? It’s not cool to hire him and fire him on the same damned day, Bobby.”

“I won’t. He’s here to stay, and we’re looking to make him the producer of your show in the long term, and he knows that’s something I’d like him to explore. I hired him for the job he interviewed for, but his contract will reflect the future employment he deserves around here. Eddie is very talented, Buck, and that’s not the kind of thing I’m going to give up unless I have no choice. He’s taken a steady gig to be there for his kid, and I respect his dedication to being a good father.

“Hen wants off Maddie’s show, and she has since she filmed your episodes. She liked working with you. She’s also realized how toxic her work situation is with Chimney. He doesn’t treat her like an equal and hasn’t since he started….” Bobby waved a hand.

“Banging my sister,” Buck supplied. “Well, all right. I love Hen. I think she’d make a great addition to the team.”

* * * *

Eddie exited 118 Productions, pulling his keys from his pocket. After the team meeting, he’d sat down with Sae, and they’d gone over the footage from the first three failed projects. He had some ideas about how to use the material, and she’d been interested in exploring it as she clearly loathed wasting content.

“Hey, Diaz, wait up.”

Eddie turned and watched Evan Buckley trot toward him in the small parking lot. “Eddie’s fine, Mr. Buckley.”

“Oh, please, call me Buck,” he said and rubbed his neck as he came to a stop in front of Eddie. “Listen, Bobby says you have a kid.”

“Christopher, he’s seven,” Eddie said. “Why? Is that a problem?”

“Nah, I love kids, but I kind of need to come home with you.” He blushed when Eddie raised an eyebrow. “You know you’re hot like fire, but that’s not what I meant.”

Eddie grinned and leaned against his truck. “What then?”

“I need to put a salt line on your property and make sure your space is clear of spiritual intrusions. You might appeal to something on an investigation, and I’d hate for you to bring it home to your kid. Some spirits and entities are attracted to kids, and the more vulnerable they are, the better they like it.”

Eddie’s gaze narrowed. “I didn’t tell Mr. Nash that my son is disabled. How did you know? Already checking out my YouTube channel?”

“I did look it up, but my day was full, so I haven’t seen any of your content except for what you have on Platform.” Buck shrugged. “Verity went to check on him and told me. I didn’t ask her to. She’s the maternal sort, which is one reason I ended up having her as a spirit guide. Verity has been in my life since I was around five months old. She actively defended my mind and body from spiritual invasion until I was old enough to do it myself.

“Unfortunately, I’m very gifted and attract spirits wherever I go. Verity basically waged war on my behalf for over two decades, so I trust her completely. She says I need to ward your house, so I’m gonna do that unless you are seriously against it. Oh, and your son hates the school he’s in.”

Eddie sighed. “Yeah. We moved here just a few weeks before school started, and it was the one assigned to my area. Public schools aren’t the best choice for kids like Christopher for a lot of reasons. They’re overcrowded, and accessibility can be a problem due to funding and unintentional ignorance. Chris has cerebral palsy, and physical accommodations are mandated but are not always what he needs specifically. He’s bored out of his little head as well. I have to pick him up from school shortly. Do you want to do this while he’s home?”

“If you’re okay with that.”

Eddie stared at him for a moment. “I was on the fence about you, specifically, when I was considering interviewing for this job.”

“What? Why?” Buck asked, and Eddie regretted the little flash of hurt that crossed Buck’s too expressive face.

“I watched you working on your sister’s show. It’s clear you struggled with the format and the exploitative nature of it. Yet, you signed up to do another show with the channel, and I wasn’t sure if it was money or fame luring you in. The brief summary they attached to the job listing wasn’t exactly forthcoming regarding your content. I know those are always sparse on details to prevent idea poaching, but still, I was concerned.”

“So, you were preparing to work with a fame whore,” Buck said in amusement. “I don’t really appreciate the whole fame part, but getting paid to do something special and amazing is great. I’ve worked for years as a private consultant for various government agencies and have contracts with a few local hospitals. A psychic medium can be used to make contact with comatose patients, though more often than not, I’m called in to confirm that there’s nothing left of the person to wait on and it’s okay to pull the plug.”

“I like what I’ve seen so far,” Eddie said. “And you’ve surprised me. I don’t mind if you meet my kid but be forewarned, he’s a fan.”

Buck frowned. “You let your kid watch Maddie’s show?”

“My abuela let my kid watch your sister’s show,” Eddie corrected. “And now he’s a fan who cannot be dissuaded. He’ll want to watch yours, and I’m unsure about that, considering the nature of the…clients you’re seeking out. He understands what murder is, but that seems well above his pay grade, so to speak.”

“I agree,” Buck said. “I’ll follow you. And you’ve given me something to think about because the show isn’t going to be kid friendly. Not that I think Maddie’s show is kid-friendly, but still….”

“I have an idea about the footage that’s already been shot that isn’t suitable for an episode of television. We could probably do a web series for streaming that is essentially family-friendly based on that footage and future filming as well,” Eddie said. “In the end, I’ll probably have to edit a special cut of each episode for him anyways. I have a hard time telling him no.”

“That’s so sweet,” Buck said, and Eddie flushed. “My truck’s just over there.” He motioned to a bright blue truck and pulled out his keys. “Jax will be nearby, just in case, but he’s wearing his amulet, so he won’t make anyone sick.”

“I’ve had good experiences with keres,” Eddie admitted. “And I understand their code of ethics better than most as a result. I trust him more than I currently trust you. That he’s willing to work for you tells me a lot about the kind of man you are. Sorry if that’s insulting.”

“No, don’t apologize. I get it,” Buck said with a shrug. “They do have a strict code, and he’s under contract, which means he’ll be extra careful on that front to avoid getting punished by his patron. Nyx doesn’t fuck around.” He paused. “Also, he’s apparently a close relative—a great-grandson.”

“I figured as much considering his age, and he doesn’t look…to be of mixed heritage. I just didn’t ever expect to meet a male presenting one.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me text you my address, and we can meet there in about an hour. Chris has already made demands for dinner, so I hope you like chicken enchiladas. He’ll expect you to stay for dinner.”

Buck smiled. “That sounds great, actually.” He rattled off his phone number, and Eddie sent the text. “I’m glad you applied for the job.”

“You’re just relieved your tiny bodyguard didn’t scare me off,” Eddie said wryly.

“Well, he’s not the reason the others ran off,” Buck said seriously and patted Eddie’s shoulder. “You seem like you can maintain, but we’ll see. And I love enchiladas.”

Eddie watched Evan Buckley trot off to his own vehicle and slid into his truck, a little flummoxed by the whole situation and the all too attractive on-screen talent for his new job. He used the drive to pick up his son to mentally organize himself and prepare for a conversation with his parents. They’d been pressuring him to move back to El Paso because he’d originally come to California to work on his relationship with his ex-wife. After the divorce, they’d been all in on his move back since he could work anywhere. It always sounded like a complaint whenever his parents said it, and that was frustrating as fuck.

The drive to the school was short, more for the fact that he kept meandering through the issue of his parents and his new job. He was still lost in his thoughts even as he checked his son’s harness.

“Something wrong?” Chris questioned.

And Eddie focused on him. “No, everything is great. I got the job.”

Chris smiled. “Really? That’s so cool, Daddy. Did you get to meet Buck?”

“I did, and he’s coming to dinner,” Eddie said, and Chris’ mouth dropped open. He laughed. “Impressed?”

“Oh my gosh, Daddy! Did you tell Abuelita?” He wiggled in his seat excitedly.

Eddie winced. “Not yet. He’s sort of coming for work.”

“Oh, yeah?” Chris asked. “What kind of work? We’re not haunted.”

“Sure about that?” Eddie teased, and his son huffed dramatically. “Since I’ll be working with on locations, Buck wants to put a salt line around the house to keep bad things out.”

“Cool. Will it keep out Grandma and Abuelo?” Chris laughed when Eddie snorted.

“I wish,” he muttered.

“They want us to come back to El Paso, but it was awful there.”

“I’m never living in El Paso again,” Eddie said firmly. “And you live with me, no matter what your grandmother wants, so don’t worry about it.”

“She told me last month that I should ask to live with her,” Chris said as Eddie left the parking lot of the school. “I told her that I didn’t want to, and she got mad at me. But I don’t want to, and lying is wrong.”

“Lying is wrong,” Eddie agreed. “I’ve already talked to her about that, and she knows not to do it again. Buck’s staying for dinner, and we’ll probably talk about work a bit. I wanted to talk to you about his show.”

“Abuelita said she’d have to watch it first to see if I could watch it,” Chris said. “She thinks it might be more serious and sadder than the other one, which is more ridiculous than anything else. She said we can’t take it seriously because the lady and her camera person don’t. They treat hauntings like amusement parks which is awful.”

Eddie hummed under his breath. “What about when Buck took over?”

“Oh, Buck was different. He respects the dead and never put on like he was scared when he wasn’t. He didn’t let that Taylor woman push him into doing stuff he didn’t want to do like the stupid spirit box,” Chris said. “Abuelita doesn’t like her at all.”

“If you guys don’t like the people on the show, why watch it?” Eddie asked because he hadn’t realized that was a factor at all since they appeared to be avid fans.

“So, we can judge them, obviously,” Chris said. “That’s the fun part.”

Eddie was on the fence about who was the bad influence on who, so he just let that go for the moment. The driveway was empty when he arrived, but it was about fifteen minutes before Buck was due to arrive, and he struck Eddie as the punctual sort. He’d prepped the enchiladas the night before, so once in the house, he turned on the oven and got Chris settled in the living room with his homework. It really worked best if Chris did the bulk of his work before dinner. Though, he rarely had more than thirty minutes of tasks to do.

“Hey, Eddie.”

Eddie looked down and found Jax standing in front of the oven peering in the window. “What are you doing?”

“I need a new oven; just considering my options. I think I might want one with a proofing drawer.”

“I haven’t used that part. It came with the house,” Eddie said. “Why are you here?”

“Oh, Buck’s here, but he’s settling himself so he can open up to check the property and stuff before he gets distracted by your…ass.” Jax looked him over. “I guess you’re attractive for a human. You’re about his size, which is for the best. Vast differences in size can be a logistical nightmare. I once tried to date an imp. She was twice my size and….” He shrugged. “I got the job done, of course, but it was a lot more work than anyone should have to do to get laid.”

Eddie wasn’t sure which part of that to focus on, so he looked the little demon over. “What happened to your suit?”

“I checked around the studio to see what other bodyguards wear on duty. There’s no need to mess up my new suit if things get messy. So, this seemed to be the most common ensemble.” He motioned to himself to encompass the T-shirt and jeans he was wearing. The T-shirt had the word ‘security’ written on it.

“Is that T-shirt bespoke?” Eddie questioned.

“At my size, everything I wear is tailored,” Jax said. “Unless I buy from the toddler section, and even then, it’s not great. Clothing makers don’t put a lot of effort or thought into children’s apparel.” He looked over his shoulder. “Speaking of, am I allowed to talk to your son?”

Eddie considered that and knew the ker would completely avoid Christopher if asked to. “You’re wearing the amulet?”

Jax pulled a thin-looking pouch from underneath his T-shirt. “Buck said it’s working perfectly. He wouldn’t have let me come in the house if it was a problem. He’s got rock-solid ethics. Rare for a medium of his power.”

“Why’s that?”

“They get influenced young and not always in the right ways. But Verity kept Buck safe and didn’t let anyone influence or control him. Everyone knows you don’t mess with Verity’s kid because she’s four times more powerful as a spirit than she ever was as a human. She only died the way she did because she was protecting her granddaughter.”

Eddie nodded. “Verity is Buck’s ancestor, right? That’s why no one says her last name. It’s Buckley.”

“You’ll have to ask Buck,” Jax said. “Knowing something and having the right to share something are two different things.”

“Do you know a lot?” Eddie questioned.

“Eh, people talk. Especially dead people. They don’t have much else to do,” Jax said and focused on Eddie. “Your parents went to visit a lawyer to ask about suing you for custody, by the way. I know a poltergeist. He’s pretty bored with his current living situation since the people turned the house into a fucking bed and breakfast and started charging extra for paranormal activity. Want me to send him their way?”

Eddie considered the high road for all of five seconds. “Yes, I do.”

Jax grinned. “You’re a lot more fun than Buck.”

Eddie shrugged. “What did the lawyer tell them?”

“That they’d have to accuse you of child abuse and prove it in court to have a chance of terminating your parental rights. And, even then, their religious beliefs would be a stumbling block since they belong to that dumb ass cult. They admitted that you weren’t guilty of anything of the sort, and the lawyer said they’d be wasting their money and that you could sue them for defamation considering your public profile and career. He also said that in your place, he’d make it his life mission to bankrupt them.” Jax shrugged. “Verity sent me off to investigate them while you and Buck were at the studio. They were talking to your mother’s sister about the appointment when I was there. I had to come back in a hurry to threaten someone, but I can go back to Texas and conduct a thorough investigation if needed.”

“I probably shouldn’t send that lawyer a fruit basket,” Eddie muttered. “I’ll introduce you to Chris but pay attention to his comfort level. I want him to be aware of you in case something happens, but if you freak him out…then you can’t stay in his visible range.”

He slid the enchiladas into the oven and motioned toward the living room. The ker trotted ahead of him and peeked into the room.

“Hey Chris, this is Buck’s spiritual bodyguard,” Eddie said. “He goes by Jax.”

Chris put his pencil down on the coffee table very carefully. “Daddy…that’s a demon.”

“A ker, specifically,” Eddie said with a nod. “He’s contracted by Buck to work as security during investigations.”

Chris stared for a moment. “So, he’s not from Hell? Abuelita said I can’t talk to the ones from Hell.”

“I’m from Greece,” Jax interjected. “And your granny is right. You should never, ever talk to the demons that come from Hell.”

Chris nodded. “Can you do fractions?”

“Yep, did you know that fractions originated in Egypt? Have you ever heard of the Rhind Papyrus?” Jax trotted across the room and crawled up onto the coffee table.

“No….” Chris raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“A historical document written by Egyptian mathematicians in 1600 BCE,” Jax said easily. “Fun to look at, but not relevant to second-grade math homework. Show me what you got.”

Eddie stared for a moment. “Christopher, do not tell anyone at school that you got tutored in math by a 4345-year-old demon.”

“I’m rounding down, so let’s go with 4000,” Jax said primly.

“Is that because you got fired?” Eddie questioned and laughed when he got a dirty look. The doorbell rang, and he went off to answer the door.

“You shouldn’t let anyone make you feel ashamed of your age,” Christopher said earnestly. “You should call a lawyer if you got retired because of your age because that’s ageist.”

Eddie swallowed a laugh as Jax wholeheartedly agreed with his son’s assessment and opened the door. Buck offered him a little smile as their eyes met, and it was like getting sucker punched. It had been years since he’d found someone so fascinating. Attractive people weren’t exactly in short supply in LA, so the situation was confounding. He stepped back to let the other man in.

“Dinner is on, and your bodyguard apparently knows fractions.”

“I know lots of things,” Jax declared airily.

“Christopher, this is Buck,” Eddie said.

“Wow, this is so cool,” Christopher said, eyes wide. “Can I meet Verity, too?”

“Hello, Christopher.” A warm breeze drifted around the room, and a soft, wafting scent of lilacs came and went from the air. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

“I can hear her,” Eddie said quietly, even as Christopher’s mouth dropped open.

“Oh, wow, we never heard her on the show!”

“Verity would never agree to appear or be heard on film,” Buck said easily. “But she’s never far from me when I have my mind open to spiritual communication.”

“Evan trusts too easily,” Verity said.

“I have faith in you—you promised you’d never let anyone or anything hurt me,” Buck said with a small smile, then focused on Jax. “Are you actually helping? Or are you being you?”

“I’ll have you know I’m very fu—effing helpful, Evan Buckley,” Jax said hotly and pointed a finger at him, then he focused on Eddie. “I like chicken enchiladas, too. Not that you asked.”

Eddie grinned. “Good to know.” He tilted his head toward the kitchen. “I’m going to talk to Buck in here, and he’s all yours for dinner, okay, Mijo?”

“Sounds reasonable,” Christopher agreed. “I’ve got questions!”

To his credit, Buck didn’t look at all put off by that, and even Eddie found a small child pre-loaded with questions to be a daunting prospect. In the kitchen, he glanced around and exhaled. “I think I donated Christopher’s booster seat. It made the move from El Paso then….”

“I hear you, Edmundo Diaz!” Jax shouted. “I don’t need a…stupid booster seat!’

“A high chair would be more appropriate anyways,” Christopher declared and laughed, which surely meant the demon had given him a horrified look.

Buck shook his head and leaned on the counter.

“Something to drink? I have beer.”

“I can’t drink much, so I like to savor what I can handle. I’ll take a beer with dinner, but water for now,” Buck said. “You’ve got a fairy living in your backyard.”

“Problem?”

“Nah, we had a good talk. She’s young, unmated, and only recently left her parent’s nest. She followed you guys home from the park because she likes Christopher’s energy. He’s not gifted, per se, but he’s sensitive to the paranormal. That can be good and bad, so you’ll want to watch him as he gets older. At puberty, that sensitivity could turn into something more, or it could merely fade away.”

“My abuela is sensitive, and she’s keeping an eye out—teaching him what to ignore and what to pay attention to,” Eddie said as he poured a glass of water from the fridge door and offered it to Buck. “I use the best filter on the fridge since Chris gets all of his water from it.”

“Thanks,” Buck said. “The fairy’s name is Poppy, and she’s good pest control. Mice will run in fear of her even though they aren’t her natural prey, and she’ll eat any insect that crosses her path. She won’t try to enter the house without permission.”

“I don’t mind her staying as long as she doesn’t break anything.” Eddie cleared his throat. “I’ve never heard a spirit speak before. Is that part of the problem with filming your new show?”

“No, we never even got that far,” Buck admitted with a flush. “Honestly, the last guy nearly stroked out; he was so shocked by the whole thing. I did warn him in advance. I don’t believe there is any value in shocking or horrifying someone on purpose. I was going to wait until the day before to brief you, to avoid you having days upon days to stress it. One rare quirk of a psychic medium is the ability to make way for ghosts to use the visual spectrum. If I voluntarily allow one to touch me—they become visible and practically solid.”

Eddie clenched his teeth together. “That’s…what?”

“I know.” Buck shrugged. “When Bobby Nash approached me about creating my own show, I told him about my ability to do that and demonstrated it with a ghost that had been wandering the building that 118 Productions currently uses. He told me about a friend of his wife’s who’d pitched a show to the channel about bringing peace to murder victims through communication with a medium. It wasn’t the only format I was offered, but Lou’s proposal was honestly amazing. His desire to help victims didn’t end when his career with the LAPD did.”

“He’s young to be retired.”

“It’s a medical retirement,” Buck said. “I’m not telling you anything you couldn’t search online. He was shot in the line of duty. It ended up damaging his motor control in his right hand, and he couldn’t get a handle on shooting with his left well enough to trust himself in the field.”

“Who’s Bobby’s wife?” Eddie asked curiously. He wished he’d done a bit more research on the owner of the 118, but the job search had been short.

“Athena Grant.”

“That gorgeous woman who hosts Crime in America? Wow.”

“Right?” Buck said. “Lucky guy all around. Lou has been a frequent guest on her show for the last two years, and Beyond likes him a lot, so they were very interested in his proposal. At any rate, Bobby matched us up, and I showed Lou what I could do. He started talking to me about the victims of violent crimes and how they sometimes linger for decades near the scene of their own homicides or with their loved ones.

“Most ghosts have traumatic histories that make it difficult or outright prevent them from moving on. Some of them just need a conversation. They want to be heard and comforted because their last moments were so violent or quietly awful that they’re nearly impossible to get over.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah, okay. I watched the footage that’s been recorded on your side of the production but didn’t get to Lou’s. I was talking to Sae about it, and I think we could probably use that footage for shorts. With the format of the show, I think we need another camera operator on site with you.”

“Why?” Buck asked curiously. “On Maddie’s show—they have two investigators, so that involves two cameras. They also wear cameras. Her co-host, Taylor Kelly, interned at Beyond for several years before someone noticed her looks and started moving her around to various shows at production companies to see what stuck. She ended up with Maddie. They’re best friends with the kind of toxic twist that is utterly appalling.”

Eddie winced. “Yeah, that’s clear, actually. They’re both unlikeable when they share screen time which could be part of the draw of the show. Sometimes they look one wrong word away from a catfight. I’m sure their dedicated viewers like that part a lot.”

Buck nodded. “So, two cameras just for me?”

“I don’t want you to wear a camera, it would be a gimmick, and it could detract from the intimacy of the show. Framing your experience will require a more intimate angle a lot of the time, but we need a broad perspective as well. Sae could probably do both if we film on different days, but with editing in the mix, it might be a lot to ask of her.”

“After the big team meeting today, my sister asked to meet Bobby and me. She wanted to basically throw someone off her team to make room for her boyfriend’s brother, who doesn’t appear to have any experience behind the camera at all. It’s a recipe for disaster, but I agreed because I like her. So, you’ll find out tomorrow that Hen Wilson, Karen’s wife, has joined us. Bobby’s going to talk to you about the logistics and what the show needs. You aren’t being replaced before you even start.”

Eddie considered that. “Hen Wilson filmed you for your sister’s show, right? I think Sae mentioned that.”

“Yeah, I can’t work with Chimney Han on any consistent basis, so he worked with Taylor during Maddie’s maternity leave. We wrapped up the filming shortly before Jee was born, and they started filming their new season last month.” Buck made a face. “I don’t want to do anything like what they do. It’s…awful, and I felt dirty even doing what I did for that show. I did make Beyond pay me through the nose for it, though. I made more for ten episodes than Maddie makes for twenty-five on that show. But she doesn’t know that.”

Eddie laughed. “Your sister is a physical medium, right?”

“Yes, and a very gifted one,” Buck said. “But she likes money too much, and that’s a common thread in our community. I use money as a buffer and often price myself out of range for situations I find unethical. That’s why even my government contract work isn’t frequent because they can’t pay me enough to do anything they really want.”

“For example?”

“I once basically got asked to use Verity to spy on a foreign government,” Buck murmured. “It was all very casual, but the intent was clear. I told them I’d do it for twenty million dollars an hour.”

Eddie burst out laughing. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously. I think they’re keeping that offer in reserve,” Buck said and rolled his eyes. “I mean, don’t get me wrong—I’m a patriot, and if I thought there was a major threat to the country, I’d certainly do my part, but I’m not going to skulk around for the CIA. They have a full team of paranormal assets for that shit.”

Eddie made a face. “Yeah, leave those guys alone. They’re nothing but trouble.”

“I’ve heard,” Buck said.

“Son of a…biscuit!” Jax huffed loudly from the living room.

“Jax?” Buck questioned.

“Nothing! We’re fine!” Christopher said quickly.

Eddie knew that to be fundamentally untrue, so he walked back into the living room and wasn’t all that surprised to see child and demon holding game controllers. “Did you finish your homework, Christopher?”

“Yep, I only had ten math problems. Jax checked my work. I got one wrong, and he showed me how to fix it. I did my reading during my free time today, and I had to write a paragraph for English, which I did at lunch. A bunch of us do that since they give us thirty minutes, but it only takes ten minutes to eat.” He bit down on his lip as he wiggled with his controller.

Jax glared at the TV. “I hate this game.”

“You’re the one that wanted to play Mario Kart,” Christopher retorted. “I wanted to play Mario Golf! Don’t get your tiny boxers in a knot.”

Eddie snorted and walked away even as Jax gasped in outrage. He focused on Buck, who had settled down at the table. “Why did you hire a demon?”

“If there’s anything more amusing than fourteen and a half inches of demon walking around in a 5,000 dollar suit being my bodyguard, I don’t know what it is,” Buck said and grinned when Eddie laughed. “Besides, it’s hard to turn down an offer like that. A ker is an immense asset to any spiritual defense team, and they are rare these days. He really is a powerhouse despite his size.”

Eddie nodded. “Anything else to worry about with the property?”

“Nah, I put the salt line pretty close to the house. It’ll take about twenty-four hours to settle, and I used blessed salt water I made myself.”

“You said, in the meeting, that you had a salt line breach. How’d that happen?”

“My sister’s asshole boyfriend thought it would be funny. He poured a flask full of lemonade in one spot. It worked surprisingly well, which is irritating. Citrus can neutralize salt, but to be that efficient—well, he brought it there to do it, and it was probably more lemon juice than water. He’s playing it off like it was a joke and a prank. But it feels like a threat.”

“It is a threat,” Eddie said. “And it should be criminal.”

“The law hasn’t caught up on that front yet,” Buck said. “Still, I’ve banned him from my property, and my sister is pissed, but that’s nothing new. She gets pissed at me all the time and has since I sued my parents for emancipation at sixteen.”

“You…sued your parents?” Eddie questioned. “I’ve only heard about that kind of shit on TV.”

Buck laughed. “Yeah, I mean, you’ve heard of Margaret Buckley, right?”

“The TV medium—Communing with Christ,” Eddie nodded. “I didn’t realize she had kids. I’ve known people who watch that show every week like it’s a church service. She’s a psychic medium.”

“She’s a charlatan, and she has three kids,” Buck said flatly. “The ability runs deep in our family. Verity told me you guessed that she’s a relative—I’m her many greats grandson. Four greats, if you want the specifics. My mother was actually quite gifted at one time, but she married my father, and he converted her to his religion. He saw a chance to make money with her and built a super church around her abilities. Our family name is steeped in so much history that most of the women haven’t changed their surname in hundreds of years.

“My father, Phillip, took the Buckley name when he married my mother because he was enamored with our power. He claims that he only seeks to use the abilities of our family to work in God’s name, but he’s bilked his followers out of millions of dollars.”

“So, religion disrupted your mother’s abilities?”

“Sort of. She’s largely closed herself off because she’s undisciplined and can’t be bothered to do the work. I had to sue for emancipation because they were forcing me to work for their church and read the crowds for her. It made me sick and sad, but neither of them cared. Verity told me I either had to sue them and leave, or she’d have to kill them.” Buck shrugged. “It was a toss-up, honestly, because I could’ve saved a lot of their victims some trauma if I’d just let Verity get about her business. I get a summons every year to come to their house and apologize for the damage I did to our family by running away from home. I’ve not been in the same room with them in over a decade.”

Eddie checked his watch and shook his head. “And I thought my parents were bad.”

“Ah, well, no need to play trauma olympics on the parental front. My older brother, Daniel, isn’t gifted at all. My parents basically discarded him as soon as they realized that he served no purpose. They’d assumed, wrongly, that his childhood cancer was the reason he wasn’t manifesting gifts as expected. So, they had me to fix that problem, and I donated bone marrow when I was a year old. It cured the cancer, but Daniel doesn’t even rate as a sensitive.”

“Does he work in their church?”

Buck laughed. “No, Daniel is a fire-breathing atheist. He’s actually the reason that Maddie and I both are in California. He’s a doctor and came to LA to work. I came out first, and Maddie eventually followed, but we’re oil and water. It was perfectly okay for her to run from our parents, but I was expected to stay and support them. I was supposed to make the sacrifice in order for our mother to save face. I refused, and Maddie won’t go back to them because they won’t pay her enough. I mean, she offered to return to the fold, so to speak, for half the proceeds. My parents are greedy bastards, so they said no, and now they pay pennies to a few moderately talented people to read the crowd and feed my mother information as she preaches.”

Eddie laughed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, but it’s just so awful.”

“I know,” Buck said ruefully and started to say something else, but Jax trotted in, and Christopher followed.

“Adult conversation is over. The child is hungry,” Jax announced and clapped his hands. “Feeding shall commence.”

Christopher laughed.

Eddie looked at the ker for a long moment and shook his head. “He doesn’t need you doing his bidding.”

Jax scowled at him. “Christopher is a perfect cupcake who deserves the whole world.”

“Congrats, Mijo, looks you’ve gotten your first fan,” Eddie said wryly, and Buck started to laugh.

Christopher scoffed. “He’s not my first fan, Daddy. You are.”

Eddie grinned and leaned on the counter. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

 

 

Chapter 3

Had anyone bothered to ask him, Buck would’ve said he didn’t even like dudes with beards. Yet, there’s Eddie Diaz invading his life with his stupidly attractive beard and adorable kid. Hen, Sae, and Eddie had been in editing for most of the week, so he and Lou had focused on arranging the location shoots as they didn’t have a production manager, and they were on the fence about having one. He figured they’d eventually have to pull the trigger on that, but their first season was a make-or-break situation, and Buck wanted to be very involved in the creation of each episode.

The offices for their show and Maddie’s were on the opposite side of the building that housed 118 Productions, but somehow his sister had managed to get in his face in a casual way several times. He knew she was lingering around, so he would go to her and apologize for the situation because that’s what she always did. Since Daniel hadn’t contacted him yet, he knew that she hadn’t gone to their brother for mediation. That only highlighted the fact that she knew that she was in the wrong for taking Chimney’s side.

Buck figured that Daniel was going to lose his shit over the situation, so he’d put off talking to his older brother about it. Verity kept an eye on Daniel and told Buck that his brother was stressed out and overworked, which wasn’t unusual for a medical doctor in Los Angeles. Daniel worked in a public hospital and would regularly pull as much as eighty hours a week.

“Bobby hired a freaking Pulitzer Prize winner to work on your show?”

Buck looked up from his laptop and made a face at Chimney, who was standing in the doorway of his open office. “If you have questions about Bobby’s hiring decisions, you should ask him.”

Chimney huffed. “This is bullshit, Buck. You’re ruining Maddie’s show with your ridiculous demands. No wonder we couldn’t get a budget increase. He’s probably paying this guy through the nose because you have to be special.”

“You’re making me really tired,” Buck said frankly, and Chimney’s mouth dropped open. “Nothing about the production of my show is any of your damned business, and our budget was decided months after Maddie’s new deal came down from the channel. Nothing we’re doing here has any impact on what you guys have going on. Your attitude and stage-boyfriend behavior is going to do more damage to her career than anything anyone else could possibly do. You need to stop acting like her agent and stay in your own damn lane.” He rocked back in his chair as the older man glared at him. “Fuck off. I have stuff to do and don’t have time for your dumbass behavior.”

“Calling you was the worst choice she could’ve possibly made,” Chimney said flatly. “You’re just as selfish and greedy as your parents.”

Buck rolled his eyes as Chimney turned and left like he’d dropped the mic. He knew, on a fundamental level, that he was nothing like his parents. So, it wasn’t the dig that his sister’s boyfriend thought it to be. Before he could refocus, Eddie appeared in the doorway, and Buck wet his lips before he could even help himself. The man was wearing a pair of jeans and a Henley, nothing life-changing or out of place, but he was stirring the kind of want in Buck’s gut that he rarely experienced and didn’t necessarily desire.

Buck loved sex and really enjoyed the romance of falling in love, but keeping a partner was really fucking difficult due to his gifts. He wasn’t sure he could afford to take that kind of risk with Eddie Diaz. The production needed him, and Buck owed Lou a lot of consideration on that front.

“You cool?” Eddie questioned. “Because you look irritated.”

“Drive-by assholery happened. Apparently, I’m a spoiled diva because you were hired to work on my show,” Buck said. “Chimney’s just a dick, honestly. My sister makes a habit of dating the worst possible men with a host of mental issues because she can manipulate the fuck out of them without much effort. Chim’s got a mile-wide inferiority complex, and he’d live in his mother’s basement if she were alive.” He waved a hand when Eddie snorted. “He’s also a pathological liar, so that fits with her narrative as well. She’s eighty-five percent drama and fifteen percent greed.”

Eddie nodded. “I watched the short works that the channel produced and streamed as a test.”

“And?”

“The framing is awful,” Eddie said. “And purposefully distant. It’s weird.”

“Chimney did most of that work,” Buck said. “And didn’t film half of what I wanted. It was a very frustrating experience because any time I wanted to step outside of Maddie’s format, he would pitch a fit and tell me I had no business trying to reinvent the wheel.”

Eddie made a face. “Having reviewed the current content for Beyond, the channel doesn’t seek out clones of properties they already have in production.”

“From the start, Chimney and Maddie tried to say that my show was a spin-off of hers,” Buck said and shrugged. “Of course, she tried to talk me out of accepting a contract. No specific reason beyond the fact that she doesn’t think I know how to commit to any single thing in my life.”

“Right.” Eddie shook his head. “Busy?”

“Just finished up scheduling a few location shoots for next month,” Buck said. “You’ve got an email pending about it. Why?”

“I’ve set up some filming space, and I’d like to see you in it. Most of the work will be done on location, but we’ll need a set space here for wrap-up content and most of the streaming-only content that Bobby wants.”

“Okay, want me to find a make-up artist?” He motioned to his face.

“Would you wear it on location?”

“No.”

“Then, no,” Eddie said and waved for Buck to follow him.

“Are you going to do this with Lou as well?”

“He’s already done his part this morning,” Eddie said as they headed down the hall. “I’ve done something a little old school with this, so I hope you like it. Lou was amused and almost immediately at ease in the setting.”

“Okay?” Buck raised an eyebrow.

“So, about five years ago, there was this true crime limited series on Beyond that focused on events that took place during Prohibition,” Eddie explained. “There were a lot of set pieces purchased to create this noir-like atmosphere space, but they ended up modeling the look of the show after a modern police procedural.”

“Yeah, that was one of Athena’s first projects for the 118,” Buck said.

“The more modern look suited her style and presentation,” Eddie said. “I watched that show while I was serving overseas. Anyways, there was all of this stuff in storage, and Hen showed Sae and me. We pulled out some pieces and set up a few filming spaces in the room that Bobby gave us. A 1930s-style detective office and a library to match.” He opened the door and ushered Buck in. “Nothing overdone or gaudy, as that wouldn’t fit the vibes either of you put off.”

“I…wow, this looks great. I take it Bobby greenlit this?”

Buck looked around the room, taking in the dimly lit set areas that weren’t too dark or over the top. There were four cameras set up around the room, a desk area with an old-fashioned green lamp, and a manual typewriter that looked to be at least a hundred years old. The library part had actual books on the shelves and two antique-looking chairs placed near an elaborate old brass floor lamp. The fake window was framed by burgundy curtains in the library area and white ones in the office.

“He was thrilled with the design,” Hen announced. “We’ve set up over a hundred random night-only clips to run in the windows. Each room has a different setup; it won’t look like a loop we’re reusing. It’ll keep the production values up.”

“What kind of wardrobe should I be considering?” Buck questioned as he took a seat in the chair that Eddie motioned him to.

Eddie picked up a camera, a model that Buck wouldn’t recognize on a bet, and started to move around him. “Lou’s leaning toward clean-cut suits and with wide ties to fit the time period for set work. I want a softer look for you anytime we film here. Slacks, thick sweaters—lean toward blues and greens. Heavy fabrics, tailored look, etc. High-waisted slacks would fit the time period, but you’re all leg, so that could be a problem.”

Hen adjusted several lights. “Yeah, high-waisted anything on Buck would ruin his silhouette.” She paused. “And not much does.”

“Did you want me to slim down?” Buck questioned and glanced between them. “I’m not bulking or anything, but I have to work out regularly to maintain this much muscle.”

“No.” Eddie lowered his camera with a frown. “Did someone say you should?”

Buck shrugged.

“Chimney complained about Buck’s level of fitness,” Hen said. “Called him a gym bunny a lot. I wouldn’t say it reached outright body-shaming, but once I heard him say that he thought Buck’s size made him look like an idiot.”

Buck huffed and sat back in the chair as he propped one ankle on his knee. “He’s a dick. Most people assume that as a psychic medium that I don’t have to worry about the physical ramifications of dealing with the dead. It’s actually the exact opposite. Physical mediums, like Maddie, have short-term consequences of the work they do. I can carry the psychological traumas I’m exposed to for months or years. I keep fit because I need the stamina to maintain my own boundaries on the psychic front. Also, appearing physically weak can be dangerous in a variety of ways.”

Eddie took a few pictures in silence then cleared his throat. “Lift your chin a bit and cut your gaze toward Hen.”

Buck did as instructed.

“You look great,” Eddie murmured as he worked. “I’d be more inclined toward suggesting you wear more form-fitting shirts on location than anything else. Highlighting your physical power in situations where you’re mentally vulnerable will be a nice juxtaposition. I want to do some new promo images, Hen.”

“Agreed, what we have for them is a little…eh.” She shrugged. “They serve, and the quality is fine, but they’re both got a lot of BDE going on that was totally destroyed in those images.”

Eddie laughed. “Agreed.”

“Are you supposed to notice big dick energy?” Buck questioned. “Should I tell your wife?”

“My wife adores my big dick energy,” Hen declared with a bright laugh, and Buck grinned at her.

Eddie took several pictures in the background. “Hen, let’s get some footage for study.”

“Should I do anything?” Buck questioned.

“Just sit and look pretty,” Hen ordered as sternly and quirked an eyebrow when Buck rolled his eyes at her.

“Tell me about the first ghost you ever talked to,” Eddie said. “Besides, Verity, of course.”

Buck considered that and sat back in the chair. “I was eight, and Verity, my spirit guide, had worked hard to keep me isolated from various spirits and entities that were drawn to my power. I wasn’t able to close myself off mentally yet. She was teaching me a lot, and every day was a little better than the last. At any rate, I was in my backyard, and Verity asked me if I could chat with someone—a spirit that needed my help. I trusted her to never bring a spirit to me that was dangerous, so I said yes.”

“Was it scary?” Eddie questioned. “You were very young for that kind of thing.”

“A little, I was used to Verity, but I didn’t know what to expect. So, I sat on my swing set, and after about fifteen minutes, an older man sat down in the swing next to me. We just swung together for a while then he told me how he’d been surprised to die. I was a little confused about that because he was clearly old. He laughed when I told him that. He said he was just fifty-two, but anyone over thirty appeared ancient to me at the time.

“His name was Charlie, and he’d had a stroke in his sleep. He told me about his wife and their kids. All of his kids were younger than me. Then he asked me if I’d call his wife and tell her where her birthday present was because he really wanted her to have it for her actual birthday, which was that day. He said it was very important, so I agreed to call her. And she was a little angry with me and accused me of playing a cruel joke on her. But I promised I wasn’t, and she went to his office and found the gift hidden in the very back of his filing cabinet. It was a trip to Ireland for their whole family—tickets, hotel rooms—the works. It was already paid for.

“Charlie said he wanted her to take the kids on that trip and have the dream vacation she’d always wanted. Then, when they came home, she should sell the house because she never liked it anyways and move to New York to be near her parents.”

“Did he crossover after that?” Eddie questioned.

“No, he stayed with me for nearly a decade,” Buck said. “As part of the team of spirits that helped Verity guard me as I got older and more powerful. I took a trip to see his wife and kids when I was eighteen because he was ready to go and wanted to speak with her one more time. She’d remarried, and Charlie thought her husband was a very good man. He was happy and relieved to see his family so well-taken care of. The saddest part, for me, was when he apologized for marrying her. There was a big age difference, and he thought it didn’t matter. Honestly, at that age, it shouldn’t have mattered.

“She refused to accept his apology and told him to kiss her ass because he’d given her three beautiful children and all the love he had to give, which was more than most men had given her before him. Her husband asked Charlie if he could adopt the kids, the oldest of which was fifteen, and Charlie said yes because he just wanted the best for them all. It was….” Buck took a deep breath and brushed an unexpected tear from his face. “Sorry, I haven’t thought about Charlie in a long time.”

“It’s fine,” Eddie murmured. “Go on, if you can.”

“It was formative,” Buck said after clearing his throat. “He crossed over that day, and I saw the light of the afterlife for the first time as a medium. None of us see it exactly the same way, but if I could describe it in one word, it would be—acceptance.” He focused on Eddie. “I think people underestimate how comforting just being understood can be. We live a very complicated existence, and in death, the simple beauty of acceptance is profound.”

Eddie lowered the video camera he had in his hand, and Buck briefly wondered when he’d changed devices. “Cut.”

Hen huffed a little. “Geez, Buck.” She wiped tears from her face. “I need coffee.”

Buck winced. “Sorry?”

“No, baby,” Hen said gently. “That was amazing, and I loved it. I’m gonna go sit in my wife’s lap and have some coffee, though.”

Eddie was focused on his camera when Buck looked his way, so he stayed where he was in case the man wanted more footage or pictures.

“You cool?” Buck questioned, and Eddie laughed a little at getting his question tossed back at him.

“Yeah, I’m great.” Eddie cleared his throat. “It’s a beautiful story. Can I use it for a short? It’s exactly the kind of content that Bobby wants.”

“Sure, I didn’t…use a last name, right?” Buck questioned as he tried to remember all that he’d said. “I’d want that edited out if I did.”

“You didn’t,” Eddie said. “And yeah, it’ll be our SOP to remove stuff like that unless we have explicit permission to use full names. I have a brief from legal on that and know where to go if I have questions or need to have releases created and signed off. We have a standard release all ready to go, of course, but we might need something specific in the future.” He walked to the work table, put down the video camera, and picked up something that looked like an antique. “My first camera—a gift from my paternal grandfather. It’s a Rolleiflex TLR, made in the 1930s. When I was getting ready for work on Tuesday, I glanced over and saw it on the shelf. It inspired this set.”

Buck watched Eddie position the camera at chest level and stare down intently at it as he pointed the lens in his direction. “Was he a photographer?”

“Yes, local news and sports,” Eddie said. “He worked for the LA Times for fifty years. I took the first photos of my son with this camera.” He took a few shots.

“It must be lovely to see the world through that lens and know that your grandfather did, as well.”

“Yeah,” Eddie admitted and lifted his head to meet his gaze. “It is.”

“Does Chris like to take photos?”

“No, but he’s fond of video,” Eddie said. “He has this charming documentary he made about an ant hill in our backyard. Any chance I had of getting rid of that thing ended. Now it’s got a safety fence around it, so I don’t hit it with the weed trimmer. Fortunately, it’s near the privacy fence, so I’m not trying to drive my lawnmower around a half-inch fence made out of Popsicle sticks.”

Buck pulled out his phone with a grin. “Is it on your YouTube channel?”

“Yeah, he has his own playlist,” Eddie said. “He called it Ant Life. It’s the first upload on his list.”

Buck browsed through the YouTube app to Eddie’s channel, which he’d followed, subscribed to, and joined after he’d gotten home the night before. He laughed. “It’s forty-five minutes long and has over a million views.”

Eddie laughed. “And that’s the severely edited version. He had about six hours of footage.” He moved around and took a few more pictures. “I noticed you joined this morning. You didn’t have to.”

“Well, of course, I did. You went and put on your about page that all the proceeds from the channel go into Christopher’s living trust,” Buck said. “How is anyone supposed to ignore that?”

“My parents think it’s awful,” Eddie said. “They threw a fit over the video series we did about cerebral palsy and physical therapy. It was a school project that he produced from start to finish, but they can’t even see that part. They think he should just ignore his own disability and pretend that nothing about any of it bothers him.”

“They’re complete assholes, you know that, right?” Buck asked and rolled his eyes. “I don’t think that poltergeist was enough of a punishment.”

Eddie looked up even as he snapped another picture. “Jax told you about that?”

“He’s under contract with me,” Buck reminded. “He confessed after he escorted Bernard to El Paso, of course.”

“Bernard?”

“Yeah, the poltergeist,” Buck said. “I’ve tried to cross him over eight times since I came to LA. Bernie’s just really stubborn and mean. Also, he hates practically everyone, so he’s probably going to drive your parents nuts inside a month. He can’t be exorcised, driven out, or persuaded to leave unless he’s ready. He can cross salt lines, wards, and thinks holy water is hilarious.”

“Why is he a poltergeist?” Eddie questioned.

“He died in terrible circumstances,” Buck said. “He doesn’t discuss it at all, but he’s been around for about 170 years and admitted to me once that he came to California during the gold rush. Considering his appearance, I think he was crushed to death in a gold mine, and he probably died alone. I’ve never looked him up or anything, but I doubt the records would reveal much, if anything at all. Anyways, he hates everyone and is especially offended by religious people due to how many times he’s been attacked by Catholic priests.”

“My parents call themselves devout Catholics,” Eddie said in amusement. “I should feel guilty about this.”

“Nope,” Jax declared as he appeared and sat on the arm of Buck’s chair. He pointed a finger at Eddie. “Don’t bother trying to take a picture of me—it’ll just ruin your photo, and it might damage your lens.”

“I know,” Eddie said. “So, you can’t stay where you are long. I want at least twenty more shots to choose from.”

The demon nodded. “If your parents didn’t want a fight, they shouldn’t have started a fight,” Jax declared. “That’s like basic rules of engagement.” He flicked a hand. “Since forever. Right, Buck?”

Buck nodded. “Don’t start none, won’t be none.”

Eddie laughed. “I think mistakes were made the day you two met.”

Jax stuck out his tongue, flicking the long black, forked muscle out of his mouth, then disappeared with a puff of smoke.

“The smoke is all show, right?”

“Yeah, most people see it as a genuine departure,” Buck said and tucked his phone away. “I’ve saved Chris’ playlist so I can watch it later.”

“He’ll be thrilled,” Eddie said and smiled. “So, thanks.”

“No, need for that,” Buck said as he threw his arms over his head, gripped the top of the chair, and gave his back a good stretch.

Eddie snapped a picture.

“Did you just take a thirst trap for yourself, Eddie?” Buck asked in amusement as he pulled down his T-shirt, which had ridden up over his abs as he’d stretched.

“Yes, and no one could ever blame me for it,” Eddie said and just shrugged when Buck laughed. “You know what you look like.”

Buck flushed and laughed as the door to the room opened, and Athena leaned on the door frame to stare at them. “Hey, Athena. Good trip?”

“Chicago is awful,” Athena reported. “Miserable and wet. I’m never going there again as long as I live. Hen was just telling Bobby that you made her cry. I came to check on the new guy to make sure he wasn’t drowning in tears, too.”

Buck grinned and stood. “Eddie Diaz, this is Athena Grant. Athena’s doing a limited series on mob murders during the hiatus for her regular show. She took Lou to New York for several episodes last month.”

“We just wrapped the last case for the ten-episode order,” Athena said as she stepped in and offered her hand to Eddie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eddie. I forgive you.”

Eddie grinned. “My apologies, regardless. My abuela didn’t talk to me for a week after watching the series.”

“Well, you broke my heart and made me want to adopt a bunch of grown-ass adults,” Athena said tartly. “You get that a lot?”

“Yeah, apparently, I struck at the hearts of mothers everywhere, but it wasn’t on purpose,” Eddie admitted. “It’s just a by-product, I suppose, of seeing my son’s struggles mirrored in those disabled veterans who were being denied basic health care—mental and physical—because of bureaucracy and apathy.”

“If there had been a protest staged somewhere, I’d have joined it,” Buck muttered. “I had no idea the system was that damaged.”

“I struggle with various government agencies to get my son the care he needs,” Eddie said. “It’ll be less now since I won’t have to pay a stupid amount of money out of pocket for private insurance. A steady job has a few benefits beyond a more predictable schedule. I’m still struggling with the paperwork for state programs.”

“I bet,” Athena said and turned to Buck. “You know who he needs to meet.”

“I do,” Buck agreed. “I called her last night after I got home.” He waved a hand around. “What do you think?”

“It looks great,” Athena admitted and walked around to sit down at the desk. “You know I almost went to the police academy.’

“Why didn’t you?” Buck questioned even as Eddie shifted his camera around and focused on Athena.

“My parents offered to pay for law school, and that was a hard offer to turn down. Though, they hardly expected me to focus on criminal law and spend two decades working as a prosecutor. They wanted corporate law.” Athena said and spread her hands over the leather blotter. “This is nice.”

“Would you take off that jacket?” Eddie questioned.

Athena’s gaze jerked toward him, and she tilted her head at the camera before shrugging out of the tan leather jacket. The white shirt she was wearing had a nice, sharp collar, but the lighting was a little off, so Buck reached up and adjusted one of the lights so it hit her face at just the right angle before Eddie could make a request of him.

Eddie hummed under his breath. “Beautiful.” He moved around the desk. “Look at Buck, please.” He paused. “Chin up just a little; tell him something he doesn’t know.”

“This man is going to give people beard fetishes left, right, and center,” Athena said with a serious and stern expression.

Buck laughed. “I already knew that, though.”

Athena grinned, and Eddie hummed as he took several shots in a row.

“I’ll make sure you get these, Athena,” Eddie said and walked away with his camera. “Buck, I need a new roll of film, then I’ll be ready for another set if you don’t mind.”

“Sure,” Buck said. “Want me to change my shirt? I have a button down in my office.”

“That’d be great,” Eddie said.

Athena stood from the chair and picked up her jacket. “He’s the intense sort.” She patted Buck on the chest. “Lucky you. I’ll walk you back to your office.”

“Back in a few then,” Buck said, and Eddie nodded absently from his work table.

Out in the hall, he offered Athena his arm, which she took with a quick grin. “I heard Chimney Han got in your face over the new hire.”

“Yeah, which is bizarre as the budget for our show has no impact on Maddie’s. Her new deal was already decided and signed before I accepted any sort of offer from Beyond. He just seemed really bent, plus I felt like he thought us taking Hen was a punishment when she’s one of the best videographers the 118 has. I mean, she’s won dozens of awards for her work, including an Emmy last year for that personal project she filmed on the foster care system.”

“Hen acted as the voice of reason a lot of the time when it came to episodes and editing for Ghost Investigations and kept a lot of the over-the-top elements out of it. Shortly before your sister announced her pregnancy, she expressed a great deal of frustration to Bobby about Hen’s judgmental attitude. I’m not surprised they asked to move her.”

“And Chim’s brother?”

“He has a BA in film studies and about five years of on-set experience working in various roles. I can’t say he’s the best choice for that particular job, and I’d have liked to have seen him in development over the situation he’s in. If he proves to be talented, Bobby will move him on from Chim’s influence sooner rather than later,” Athena said as they entered his office. She hopped up on the desk and watched him flip through several clothing options on the rack he kept in the back of the room. “Tan slacks and that baby blue button-down.”

Buck picked up both options and put them together. “Yeah, similar to what he wants for my on-set look at any rate. Once Bobby moves Albert on, I bet Maddie will demand that Eddie be moved to her project.”

“You already know that Eddie is being groomed for a producer placement for us,” Athena said. “For the production company, not just your show. His body of work already fascinates Bobby, so he’s not going to waste his abilities or ask him to work as Chimney Han’s assistant. If either of them thinks that’s an option, then they are deluded.”

Buck shrugged and glanced up as someone knocked against the frame of his door. “Hey, Bobby.”

“Hey, what did you think of the set?”

“I love it; I need to change clothes and go back for another round of pictures, though. He said something about wanting better promo shots.”

“Yeah, he said what we had felt generic and cold,” Bobby said as he pulled the door shut behind him. “Chimney bitched at you about Eddie being hired?”

“Yeah, he’s mad about the money he assumes that Eddie’s making and speculated that it impacted their budget.” Buck pulled his T-shirt over his head and put it aside when Bobby leaned on his desk next to Athena. They both had their backs to him, which was amusing as he had no body shame to speak of. “And they’re both very irritated about the whole salt line thing and how I didn’t fall into line and accept that it was a joke.”

“It certainly wasn’t a joke,” Bobby said. “And I’d fire him if it was…considered any sort of crime. I’ve already spoken to legal about it. They aren’t impressed with his behavior, but there’s nothing actionable about it. If you’d gotten injured or something, then maybe. Not that I would’ve wanted you to get hurt.”

“I get it,” Buck said roughly as he shucked his jeans and redressed. As an afterthought, he changed his socks and put on a pair of loafers to complete the look. “I like working here, but I consider my sister and her latest dick-in-residence a flaw instead of a feature.”

Bobby snorted, and Athena leaned on him as she laughed.

“Eddie took some pictures of Athena—he said he’d get them to you. Does he have a dark room set up here?”

“I hadn’t considered it…necessary, but if he’s going to do promo image work and the like for your project, then it might filter into other shows and projects as well.”

“The office next to mine has that weird walk-in closet that people use for hookups,” Buck pointed out. “Moving him there and making that closet a dark room would solve that problem. Because, honestly, Bobby listening to people get laid while I’m trying to work isn’t fantastic.”

“Yeah, good thought. I’ll get the space cleaned out for him,” Bobby said and glanced over his shoulder. “Looking good, kid.”

“Thanks,” Buck said and finished lacing his belt through the slacks before fastening it into place.

“I heard that you made use of that closet yourself,” Athena said in amusement. “Or at least, Taylor had plans for you and that closet.”

“Gross,” Buck muttered.

“Seriously?” Bobby questioned. “She’s gorgeous.”

“She exploits the dead, Bobby,” Buck said seriously. “And told me on a location that she thought ghost children were the best sort of haunting to investigate and film because it increases audience sympathy. I wouldn’t do her with someone else’s body.” He grinned when Athena laughed. “I get it—you inherited Maddie and her show when you bought this production company. It’s telling that her show is the only one left from the old paranormal content.”

Bobby shrugged. “You know that Beyond is very enamored with your sister and the ratings she brings to the table. I tried to soften the show over the last two years, but it’s not working. I agreed to hire Albert Han because his resume has been in consideration for the last few months. I didn’t want him on your show, and I’m not sure how well he’ll work under his brother. I’d have preferred to mentor him with Hen, but that won’t fly. Chim burned a bridge with her with how they handled her transfer off Maddie’s how and he doesn’t even know it yet.”

There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Buck called out and wasn’t surprised when Eddie appeared. “I decided to change my pants, too.”

Eddie quirked an eyebrow and glanced him over. “Yeah, that works. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t,” Bobby said before Buck could. “Just a little bit of gossip, really.” He left his choice of leaning spots and snatched his wife off the desk, which made her huff and laugh at the same time. “Come along. We’ll roust Hen from Karen’s lap and get some lunch.”

“Sushi, and you’re paying,” Athena declared. “Buck, did you want us to bring you something back?”

“Nah, I’ve got lunch plans,” Buck said and checked his watch. “I’m taking Eddie to meet Carla, but he doesn’t know that, so….” Eddie laughed from the doorway. “It’s a surprise.”

Eddie stepped aside so they could leave and inclined his head toward the hall, so Buck followed him. “Who’s Carla?”

“Ah, well, I dated a woman named Abby Clark last year. She was a production manager for Beyond, and her mother received care in their home. Carla Price is a nurse who she employed to take care of her mother, Patricia. Unfortunately, Patricia passed about five months ago, and Abby took a sabbatical to deal with her grief. She’s in Europe now working on an international project for a British production company. I forget the name,” Buck admitted. “So, Abby’s gone, but I kept Carla because I don’t make real friends often, and I’m stingy about keeping them.”

“Ah, well, in that case, I should tell you that Christopher decided last night after you left that you were going to be his best friend,” Eddie grinned when Buck nodded his agreement. “Yeah, I figured you’d agree. He also called my abuela and bragged about meeting you. She’s very irritated with me. So, I’m required to kidnap you and take you to her house for Sunday dinner.”

“I don’t need to be kidnapped,” Buck said with a laugh as he pulled the door shut on their small set space. “How do you want me?”

“I’m not ready to answer a question like that,” Eddie said wryly and grinned when Buck flushed. “But I’ve got a list I’m pondering.”

Buck wet his lips before he could help himself. “I’m open to multiple positions and locations.”

Eddie hummed under his breath and motioned to a shelf. “Grab a book and get seated.”

“There are no fraternization policies to worry about if you were concerned,” Buck said as he carried a copy of Pride and Prejudice to the chair and sat down. “Why use real books?”

“Because it wasn’t really all that more expensive than having a set piece built, and it matters in small environments like this,” Eddie said. “And, some rules are worth breaking. I did figure it couldn’t really be a thing since the owner of the production company is married to the star power around here. Also, thanks for going with that. Honestly, getting her in front of my camera has been on my bucket list for years.”

“Because she’s beautiful?” Buck questioned as he opened the book and settled down into his favorite reading position. “I read this book to Verity when I was a teenager. She can’t read on her own, so the popularity of audiobooks has been a lifesaver of a sort. I own hundreds, so she always has something to listen to. She has her own room in my house.”

“Athena Grant is beautiful,” Eddie agreed. “But she has this raw power that is hard to quantify. The camera clearly loves her—no matter the format. I like to capture the essence of a person, which often has little to do with their physical appearance.” He waved a hand at Buck. “You have to know that better than most. You’re gorgeous and probably get judged based on your looks more often than not.”

“Yeah,” Buck agreed. “I do.” He made a face then focused on the book. “Appearances are all that matter to some people.”

“Agreed, and that’s awful,” Eddie said as he focused on his camera. “I try to show my son the world through a lens focused on the beauty of discovery and the development of a knowing. Understanding people and the world around us is important to my human experience.”

“Your human experience,” Buck repeated.

“Well, none of us have the exact same experience even if we’re all in the same place at the same time when something happens. One person’s nightmare is another person’s moment of curiosity.” Eddie focused on his camera, and Buck listened to the soft clicks for a few moments as one shot after another was taken. “Chris’ human experience is vastly different from my own, and I respect that. I want him to respect it, too.”

“Well, you’re raising a stand-up human being,” Buck said as he focused on the book and turned a page. “And a perfect cupcake, apparently.”

Eddie laughed. “He wants it put on a T-shirt.”

“Well, that’s gonna happen as soon I put this book down,” Buck muttered and grinned at the thought. He looked up and found Eddie giving him a genuinely fond look he hadn’t often gotten outside of a few precious friends and his own brother. He cleared his throat. “If that’s okay?”

“Yeah, that’s perfectly okay,” Eddie said. “And I’d love to have lunch with you and your friend Carla.”

“She’s gonna be your friend, too. You might end up liking her more than me and trying to run away with her. But she’s married, so you’re gonna have to pine from a distance like the rest of us.”

“I’m gay, so no running away with any more ladies,” Eddie said easily. “Turn in the chair and throw a leg over the arm like you’re alone and don’t care about how you look.”

“Your bio says you were married to a woman,” Buck said as he shifted in the chair to sit as instructed.

“Chris’ mother,” Eddie murmured. “We divorced after I was discharged from the Army, and I gave up trying to pretend I could have a relationship with a woman to please my parents. Though being gay is just an item on a long list of reasons they think I’m a horrible father.”

“Oh, honestly, fuck them. Jax knows a kobold. We should send them to El Paso, too,” Buck frowned.

“Stop making that face,” Eddie said in amusement. “You’re ruining my shot.”

Buck tried to look serious, but he was irritated. Also, he was kind of relieved to know that Eddie wouldn’t be revisiting his relationship with his ex-wife. The whole ex-wife thing could be tricky, especially if there were children involved, and he didn’t like to involve himself in that particular brand of drama.

“What’s a kobold, specifically?”

“A water fairy—prone to pranks, and they can get downright malicious if they’re disrespected,” Buck said.

“I’ve seen a kobold, and they don’t look anything like the fairy that I found sitting on my porch railing this morning.”

“Oh, she’s basically a flower,” Buck said easily. “Sweet-natured and content to take care of your garden. The best thing you could do would be to plant some flowers for her. She’d love that. I’d have never left her there if she was dangerous.” He relaxed when Eddie nodded. “But a kobold is a different sort of creature, and they don’t normally attach themselves to personal residences. They like to be close to the water and are more like a gnome than anything else. Gnomes are low-order demons, though most people sort of like to forget that because they look like little dolls.”

“Creepy little dolls with mouths full of teeth that wouldn’t look out of place in a shark’s head,” Eddie muttered.

“You see and recognize more than most,” Buck said conversationally. “Your grandmother or the Army?”

“Both,” Eddie said. “I don’t rattle easily, and the Army caught on quick to that. It led to me being assigned to projects outside of the norm on a regular basis. I saw a lot of stuff out of context and didn’t get very good explanations for it. In the Army, I wasn’t paid to ask questions, so I just followed orders and focused on surviving no matter where they sent me.” He cleared his throat. “Okay, I’m done for now. I’ll want to develop what I’ve got and take some high-res scans before making choices to present to Bobby.”

“Speaking of, he’s going to arrange for the office next to mine to be cleaned out. It has a large walk-in closet that can be converted into a dark room. You’ll want to make a list of equipment because he’ll ask for it when we come back from lunch.” Buck shut the book, stood, and tucked it back into place on the shelf. “Let me call Carla, and I’ll meet you out in the parking lot. I think she’s working tonight, so we don’t want to keep her waiting if she wants an afternoon nap before her shift.”

“Sounds great,” Eddie said. “And thanks for the heads up. He hadn’t decided about where my office space would be when I asked yesterday, and I’m sharing space with Sae currently.”

“No problem,” Buck said and waved at himself. “I’m gonna change first. See you in a few.”

 

 

Chapter 4

Eddie didn’t often connect with people, so his experiences so far with 118 Productions had been surprising across the board. He liked most of the people he’d met, and working with Hen and Sae was fast becoming the best experience he’d had so far in his new career. They were generous, creative, and easy to work with, which he hadn’t expected considering how and why he was hired. He’d expected some resentment, but for the most part, that seemed to be coming from an entirely different project than what he was working on.

They’d ended up at a food truck park, a surprising choice on Buck’s part, but Eddie quickly made his own selections and snagged a table for them while Buck escorted Carla Price around to various vendors. He browsed through his phone, checking messages and ignoring the ongoing group chat his parents had started regarding his new job and their immense displeasure over finding out about it via an Instagram post.

Eddie put his phone down as Carla and Buck joined him. “I’ll have to bring Chris here and watch him spend an hour trying to figure out what to eat.”

“You were in the Army,” Carla said. “And injured out. I’m sorry for that.”

“I’ve healed well,” Eddie said and opened the soda he’d purchased to go with the lamb kabobs he’d zeroed in like a man starving upon arriving at the food truck park. “I have to be careful with my shoulder as it was dislocated severely when the helicopter crashed. I forced it back in myself, so I could use my weapon, but I did do more damage to it. The surgeries for that were more difficult than the bullet wounds.”

Carla nodded. “The shoulder is complicated. Buck says you’re experiencing a paperwork nightmare.”

“There are a lot of programs and benefits that Christopher could qualify for, but I don’t know what will work, what I should avoid, and how to get what would serve him best. I have doctors, physical therapists, and a child psychologist on tap right now. Every time I go near one of them, I get handed an application for something. It’s starting to feel overwhelming and not something I had to deal with in Texas.”

“California has a lot of programs and charities that work with disabled children. Some of it is income based, which you’ll probably earn out of. But others are strictly about his disability and what the federal government thinks he should have access to on a local level. We can work through that stuff together. How are you handling child care? There are programs that would pay for a home health aide or nurse depending on his mobility.”

“My grandmother and aunt both make themselves available, but I do need in-home care. He sleeps better in his own bed, and I’ll have nights where I work into the early morning hours,” Eddie said. “As I’m sure Buck already explained. He might balk at being taken care of by a nurse, though. He’s a little put off by medical personnel due to all the hospital stays he had when he was younger. There have been three surgeries, and he’ll have several more as he grows to make sure his growth and muscle development stay at the same level.

“As to his mobility, he used a gait trainer until he was four and declared that he wanted crutches before school started, so we gradually switched to crutches. He uses those easily these days and can walk without them in spaces he’s comfortable in and has sturdy furniture he trusts that he can brace himself against. I’ve arranged my whole house to increase his mobility at home, where he’s comfortable trying things even if it doesn’t work out.”

Carla nodded. “And his mother?”

Eddie grimaced as he considered how to answer that. He didn’t talk about Shannon often but figured that he needed a non-family perspective. And if Carla Price was going to be of any genuine help, then she needed to know the circumstances.

“It’s hard to tell you this part and be fair to her,” he admitted and ran his fork through his rice. “Shortly after I was discharged, Shannon left. I was still recovering from my injuries, so I was in no position to take care of a four-year-old physically disabled child. It was a struggle and as a result….” He shrugged. “I showed my ass, if I’m entirely honest.”

Buck exhaled sharply. “I don’t blame you.”

“Yeah, well, I hired a vicious lawyer and sued her for divorce, citing abandonment six months after she disappeared in the middle of the night and refused to answer a single call from me. Her parental rights were severely restricted, and she can only see Christopher with supervision. She protested child support because of the visitation ruling, and the judge was not kind. I refused mediation offers from her lawyer and insisted that she arrange visitation through a childcare facility in Texas despite the fact that she was living in California. When I moved here last year, I had her contacted by the courts to let her know I was local if she wanted a visit. She’s failed to request a single appointment.

“At this point, Chris’ therapist has indicated that we’d need a very slow reintroduction period before I can allow Shannon even supervised in-person visitation because he resents her so much for ghosting him.” Eddie frowned and focused on his food. “I’ve decided to give her another year to get her head on straight before I seek to get her parental rights terminated.”

“So, it’s been three years,” Buck said. “He deserves so much better.”

“Yeah, he does,” Eddie agreed. “But I can’t make her be a mother. I want to believe she loves him because otherwise, I have to accept that I never really knew her at all, and that’s pretty damned awful. I recognize my own ego in this and the fact that our marriage wouldn’t have lasted much longer, regardless of her behavior. In the last year, I served in the Army, I grew to deeply resent my marriage and wanted out. I’d have filed for divorce eventually, but I wish things had been more civilized on my part.”

“We often make decisions when we’re hurt that can come back to haunt us,” Carla said. “It’s just human nature, and you’ve recognized it fairly soon after the situation was basically resolved. We can only try to do better going forward, right?”

“Right,” Eddie said and shook his head. “I credit the move with most of it. My parents actively encouraged me to be as harsh as possible during the divorce. They even paid for my lawyer, which they came to regret since he was overexposed to them and hates their guts. When they made noise about taking custody of Christopher, he eviscerated them in a letter that nearly made my father cry.”

Buck laughed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh.”

“No, it’s fine. I just don’t think my father ever recognized he was a terrible father until it was put in writing and couldn’t be argued with. Per a host of laws in Texas, both of my parents are outright guilty of mentally and physically abusing all three of their children.” Eddie exhaled when Carla winced. “I’m fine. I promise.”

“So fine that you married a woman despite being gay?” Carla questioned gently and put a hand on his arm. She squeezed gently and smiled. “I’m glad you’re living your truth now. It’s the single best thing you can do for your own mental health, and it sets a beautiful example for your son. Speaking of Christopher, I watched his documentary on ants this morning, and I feel very guilty about calling the pest control man last year to get rid of a series of ant hills in my garden.”

Eddie laughed. “He has a unique perspective.”

“It was charming,” Carla said. “And I really enjoyed it. I’d love to meet him and see if he would be comfortable with me being your childcare as needed. We can minimize the nurse aspect, so he’ll be at ease with my presence in his life.” She picked up her purse and opened it. “I brought my CV, a current notarized background check conducted by a state-approved agency, a copy of my nursing license, and a list of personal references. Also, the paperwork proving that I’m bonded by the state of California.”

Eddie watched her stack the documents on the table. “I would’ve never thought to ask for even half of that.” He pulled the paper to him. “Jax told me I could trust you.”

“You can keep those,” Carla said. “And if I could put a ker’s recommendation on my CV, I would. Their brutal honesty is supernaturally guaranteed, and that’s hard to top.”

Eddie agreed, so he nodded and carefully folded the papers together. “If you’re free on Sunday, you could come to lunch and meet Christopher, then take a look at the pile of paperwork I’ve accumulated. What’s your hourly rate for that kind of work?”

“Oh, honey, no, I couldn’t take payment for paperwork,” Carla said and smiled. “Except lunch, of course. I’d love lunch.”

“Then you’ll get the best meal you’ve had in months,” Eddie said easily and made a mental note to ask his abuela about splitting the outcome of a pit barbeque. He glanced at her food which equaled a vegetarian salad. “Do you eat meat?”

“I’m practically a T-Rex most of the time,” Carla declared. “Today is my veggie day to make up for it.”

He glanced at Buck and found the man looking expectant. Eddie laughed. “You’re invited, too.”

Buck shrugged like he didn’t care but grinned. “I guess I can eat your food and visit your awesome kid while you and Carla work.”

* * * *

“I’ve been getting dirty looks since we got back from lunch.”

Buck looked up from the email he was reading and focused on Eddie, who was leaning in the open doorway of his office. “Yeah?”

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Come here a sec.” He inclined his head and left.

Buck was more curious than anything, so he followed and found Eddie motioning him into the office next door. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Eddie said and shook his head. “Apparently, you sacrificed the prime make-out spot in the whole building to my dark room, and Bobby didn’t tell anyone that it was your idea.”

Buck grinned. “They cleaned it out fast.” He walked into the big closet. “I’ve never even been in here, you know.”

“I did know, but I also heard that Taylor Kelly was working hard for it, but you resisted,” Eddie said wryly.

“Gross,” Buck muttered and prodded one of the metal shelving units. “I’m surprised these things are still standing. I’ve heard them banging against the wall on the regular. You should get them bolted into place if you’re going to put delicate stuff on them.”

“I already asked about it.”

“Is the space big enough?” Buck questioned and quirked an eyebrow when Eddie pulled the door shut and flicked the lock into place.

“It’ll do,” Eddie said. “I have one at home for large projects. Having one at work will be really helpful.”

Buck just relaxed against the shelving when Eddie invaded his space.

“I keep waiting for you to make a move,” Eddie murmured. “Then I realized you were waiting on me.”

“It’s…I wouldn’t want to….” Buck huffed when Eddie brushed their mouths together in a soft press of lips that was more distraction than a kiss. “I have a kind of weird influence around here, and sexual harassment is a thing.” He shivered when Eddie’s beard brushed along his jaw. “God, why are you so hot? I can’t even stand a beard on my own face.”

Eddie laughed. “Should I shave?”

“Not on my account,” Buck said and flushed. “Kiss me, for fuck’s sake.”

Eddie hummed under his breath and settled his hands on Buck’s hips, and kissed him. It was soft and sweet for the barest of moments, then with a stroke of his tongue, it went hot. It had been ages since he’d been with a guy, mostly because Buck really didn’t pursue people as a rule, and he just seemed to attract aggressive women who’d climb on his lap with the least bit of encouragement.

But Eddie was all big hands and warm, firm muscle pressed up against his body in a way that was really making Buck regret his very firm decision to never get laid in the make-out closet. Buck groaned a little as Eddie pushed a muscled thigh between his legs and nuzzled the side of his neck.

“We are not having sex in this closet.” He paused. “Today.”

Eddie laughed and lifted his head. “I prefer a bed anyways.” He stepped back and wet his lips with a quick dart of his tongue. “And I like to have room to work.”

Buck groaned and adjusted his cock, which was uncomfortably hard. “You know, I miss that stage in my life when I carried condoms and lube in my pocket.”

“Me, too.” Eddie leaned back on the large table that hadn’t been in the room before. “I have to pick out a couple of people from the intern pool for support crew, apparently. Hen and Sae both ran away from Bobby in the midst of that conversation. Lou told me he had no idea what support crew even does, which I know is a bullshit lie.”

Buck laughed. “The problem is that they are all general hires. Bobby has a great intern program and pays them by the hour instead of just feeding them the ‘work for free to gain experience’ line that is so common in the industry. That being said, Maddie can’t keep support crew for more than a season of her show for love or money. I’m sure a lot of it is behavior issues, but the paranormal elements can’t be overlooked. Some people just can’t handle it. Plus, we can’t have anyone that is sensitive or gifted on site with me, considering their ages. I’d invest more time in protecting them than doing what we need for the show.”

“You should sit in on these meetings,” Eddie said and motioned toward the door. “Because I didn’t even consider that a problem, and no one else mentioned it either.”

“I just now thought of it. It’s something I should’ve said to Bobby when he was hiring for your job and I just…didn’t.” Buck flushed and shrugged. “So, yeah, let’s go meander through the intern pool and hope for the best.”

Two hours later, Buck was contemplating running away while Eddie appeared to be actively listening to an eighteen-year-old who was convinced they were next Guillermo del Toro. The kid also appeared to be barely refraining from melting into a puddle of lust at Eddie’s feet. Fortunately, it all came to an end abruptly because Jax appeared by Eddie’s chair and leaned nonchalantly against the man’s leg, tiny hoof tapping gently on the floor.

“What the fuck?”

“This is Jax,” Eddie said. “He’s Buck’s bodyguard. Jax, this is Scott Minch.”

“Jesus Christ, dude, don’t give a fucking demon my name!” He practically scooted over the back of his chair as he stood and tripped over his own backpack.

Jax laughed. “He doesn’t have to tell me a damn thing about you, Scott Franklin Minch.” A metal file appeared on his hand, and he started to sharpen one vicious-looking nail. “Beyond his excitable personality, Eddie, this kid is lying about his level of sensitivity. Probably due to religious indoctrination. He’s a time bomb on the psy-ability front and is being haunted by his great-grandmother, who is really fucking disappointed in his life choices.” He shook his head. “And he doesn’t recycle, which should be a sin but isn’t. The Bible needs an upgrade, clearly.” He paused. “And a thorough edit because some of that shit is just stupid in this day and age.”

Buck laughed.

Scott picked up his bag with trembling hands. “You, uh, read the Bible?”

“I was part of the Council of Carthage,” Jax said and shrugged when Buck sighed.

“What’s that…mean?” The kid questioned.

Eddie frowned. “For fuck’s sake.”

“The Council of Carthage was one of the regional groups that affirmed the content of the New Testament,” Jax said. “There were several reaffirmations after the Council of Rome, convened under Pope Damasus, determined biblical canon. Carthage did it in 397 AD.” He paused. “Very poor work experience. Working for the Catholic Church is always a fucking nightmare. Ten out of ten do not recommend.”

The kid crossed himself and darted out of the room, reciting the Lord’s Prayer. The worst part was that Scott had been the best of the lot so far, and now they were starting over again for the tenth time in under an hour. He wondered how many of them had run completely out of the building and if they were going to get a lecture from Bobby about it.

The door opened, and a young woman entered. She paused briefly at the sight of Jax and sat down in the chair Scott had abandoned. “Cool, a ker.”

“Do you have any unreported psy-ability?” Eddie questioned.

“Nah, I’m practically null,” she said and ran a hand through short, purple hair. A little sparkle of diamond glittered from the side of her nose, but she had no ear piercings. It was an interesting choice, and Buck wanted to ask questions. “Drives my mom crazy since she’s a Reiki master. Even as a baby, I apparently got literally nothing out of energy healing. She’s been worried about my aura since birth.”

Jax hummed with approval and disappeared.

“You’re hired,” Eddie said flatly. “Go out there and tell the others to fuck off as politely as you know how.”

She nodded slowly. “I’m Everstar Bartlett, by the way.”

“Of course you are,” Eddie said, and she grinned.

“I got lucky. My sister is stuck with Summer Daffodil until she’s old enough to change it on her own,” Everstar said and shrugged when Eddie laughed.

Buck stood. “Thank fuck this is over. In no single way did your company make for what I’ve just endured, Edmundo.”

“Did his beard lead you astray?” Everstar asked as Buck opened the door. “Because I get it.”

“Yes! I appreciate being seen and understood,” Buck said and shot Eddie a look, who just quirked an eyebrow at them both.

* * * *

Eddie knew that repeatedly dodging his parents’ phone calls would only lead to a visit, and his only recourse in avoiding them would be to move and not give anyone his address. Though he wouldn’t put it past his parents to hire someone to follow him around if he did try to hide his address. He accepted the call and sat back in his seat as he watched the front doors of the school. Chris was due to be released from educational prison within ten minutes, so he took the call.

“Hey.”

“You didn’t respond to the group chat about Cinco de Mayo,” his mother said stiffly. “Will you be staying with us or insisting on a hotel?”

Eddie made a face. “I’m not coming back to El Paso any time soon, Mom. I already promised Abuela I’d handle the fire pit for her party.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as she huffed dramatically. “And I have a location shoot on the Saturday after, so even if I wanted to visit, I couldn’t.”

“How is your new job?”

“If I thought you were genuinely interested, I’d tell you all about it,” Eddie said conversationally. “But you don’t actually care at all and would probably be thrilled if I hadn’t gotten it.”

“I want you to be successful.”

“No, you don’t,” Eddie said. “Otherwise, you’d never suggest I try to live in El Paso. It would actually be detrimental to my career and offer me little to no opportunities for experience or advancement.”

“You could run a successful photography business here, and you know it. You made good money when you first got started here before you let that stupid award go to your head,” Helena said.

He’d actually struggled like hell, even with child support and government aid to provide for his kid after his severance money had been spent. The only saving grace had been the fact that he’d bought his house while serving in the Army with his housing allowance. Selling it had given him a financial cushion and allowed the move to California easily. His parents were still pissed about that aspect of the whole thing, as severing his only financial tie with El Paso had given him more freedom than they could tolerate in silence.

His father had thrown an actual fit and scared the hell out of Christopher. Fortunately, his six-year-old grandson bursting into tears had been enough to shake Ramon Diaz loose from his temper. Still, the damage had been done. Chris feared his grandfather’s temper now, and Eddie didn’t know how to fix that.

“Well?” his mother demanded.

“I’d work two jobs here to avoid working one job in El Paso,” Eddie said flatly. “We’re happy here, and we’re staying.” The fact was that he’d have to work three times as many hours in El Paso to maintain the same standard of living he could have with the job at 118 Productions.

“Christopher can’t be happy—he has no family there!”

Eddie made a face. “You mean he doesn’t have any of your family here because Abuela’s family-only party coming up has forty-five guests.” He rolled his eyes when she huffed dramatically. “Chris doesn’t like any of your sisters, for the record. He thinks they’re loud, intrusive, and ableist. Also, Aunt Marnie always comments on how relieved she is that he can pass for white and won’t have to deal with bigots.”

“I’ve told her repeatedly not to say things like that.”

“And she faces no consequences for her bullshit,” Eddie said. “So, she continues to be a racist bag of dicks to all of your kids and your husband. Chris doesn’t want to ever see her again, by the way, so that’s exactly what’s going to happen. She’s not welcome in my life in any single way.”

“She’s family. You can’t turn your back on family.”

“I can turn my back on anyone,” Eddie said evenly. “No one gets a pass when it comes to toxic and abusive behavior. I’m not going to teach my son to tolerate that kind of crap; he deserves better. I did, too. You let her talk shit to me my entire childhood because she’s family, and that’s just….” He huffed and shook his head. “You let a bigot set up camp in our house at least once a month and act like a complete bitch. Your home should be your safe space, and you never provided us with that because of your sister and because of your corruptive and disgusting religious views.”

“You’re young and….”

“I’m thirty years old,” Eddie pointed out. “Stop living in the past and accept it. I half-wonder if that’s why you keep trying to parent my son.”

“Christopher needs a consistent parent, and neither you nor that bitch you married provide that. You expect too much from him, force independence on him that he’s not ready for, and act like I’m the problem. You even took away his walker, for fuck’s sake. Christopher clearly struggles with those crutches, and you ignore it because you’re trying to force him to be normal. Well, he’s not normal, Edmundo, and he needs to be taken care of.”

Eddie’s gaze went to the front of the school and watched his son walking down the ramp attached to the side of the front steps with several other children. A miniature herd was heading down the stairs as well. Because of his son’s disability, the school allowed him to park instead of getting in the pick-up line, so at least he was spared that time suck.

“Christopher is thriving and can walk without crutches at home,” Eddie said. “He wanted to stop using the gait trainer and insisted on learning to use crutches before he went to school. I’m not forcing his independence, but I do actively encourage it. I want him to live his life instead of just endure it. I give him all the care he wants and needs, Mom. You’d ruin his life if I let you have a single bit of control regarding his health care decisions.”

“He didn’t need another surgery so soon!” His mother snapped. “And you had to move to California to find a doctor who would do it!”

“I didn’t move to LA for that,” Eddie said easily. “I moved to LA to get away from you and Pop.” He almost laughed when she gasped in shock. “Seriously, that was my number one reason, and I thought you knew that. I have to go. Chris and I have plans for dinner.”

“Wait, I needed to talk to you about something,” Helena interjected. “There’s an issue with the house, and I don’t know…what to do about it.”

Eddie wondered if he could send Bernard a present and if the poltergeist would even appreciate it. Maybe he considered the move to El Paso present enough. “I can’t do anything about the house from here, Mom.”

“I think it’s your fault,” Helena blurted out. “We’re hearing noises, and things are being moved around—it started shortly after you posted about getting that new job. I don’t know what you’re working on for that production company, but it can’t be Godly. This is a warning, Edmundo, and you need to take heed.”

“My house is fine,” Eddie said in amusement as he opened his door. “So, whatever is going there isn’t about me. Maybe you should call the church and get a priest to bless the property. Gotta go.” He ended the call before he slid out of the truck and opened the passenger seat as Chris rounded the vehicle. “Hey, Mijo.”

“Daddy, hey, I think Verity came to school with me today.”

Eddie considered that. “Did she talk to you?”

“No, but I noticed the flower smell a few times,” Chris said easily as he passed Eddie his backpack. “She doesn’t like my math teacher. I don’t know why.”

“How do you know she doesn’t like her?” Eddie asked in amusement as he tucked the backpack away, accepted the crutches which he stored then plucked his son from the ground. Chris threw his arms around him, so he gratefully took the hug. He figured his years were limited on that front.

He put Chris in the booster seat and pulled the harness down over his head.

“Every time Miss McLeroy started to yell at someone, she’d get this look on her face and rub her side like someone was poking her.” Chris shrugged.

“Does she yell a lot?” Eddie asked because his son had never mentioned such a thing to him. “Does she yell at you?”

“I do what I’m supposed to do,” Chris said easily. “She gets…frustrated, I guess. I’m glad I’m getting a new school, though. This one is better than the one in El Paso.”

“That’s a low standard, kid,” Jax said as he settled on the seat beside Christopher.

“Do you need a car seat?” Chris asked, and Eddie shut the door as he laughed.

“I do not,” Jax said hotly. “How dare you, Cupcake!”

“I just want you to be safe,” Christopher protested as Eddie settled in behind the wheel. “Put your seat belt on.”

“I’m indestructible,” Jax said, but Eddie heard a seat belt snap into place. “I’ve fought in battles, saw whole nations laid to the ground, and stood victorious on my enemies.”

“Yeah, okay, but not wearing a seat belt is illegal. Daddy could get an expensive ticket,” Chris pointed out, clearly unimpressed by the demon’s bragging. “And that would cut into my pizza budget.”

Eddie laughed, startled that Chris had remembered that one time he’d told him that getting a ticket would take pizza off the table. Though that had been about speeding and not seatbelt use.

“Where’s Buck?” Chris asked.

“Ah, well, there’s about to be a family brouhaha, and I want nothing to do with that,” Jax explained.

“His brother found out about the salt line?” Eddie questioned.

“Yeah, he did,” Jax said. “There’s gonna be a meeting at his townhouse, and that place is locked down. Buck keeps his brother safe since he’s psy-null. The wards on that place are very powerful and with dozens of layers. It’s so restrictive that neither Buck nor Maddie can actually spend more than a few hours there. It’s an uncomfortable environment for them.”

Eddie nodded. “Tell him he can come over if he needs a place to land that none of them know about.”

“I will,” Jax said.

* * * *

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Daniel demanded, and Buck winced when Chimney’s head jerked back with shock. “A joke? You fucked around with my baby brother’s sanity, and you think it was a goddamned joke?” He turned to Maddie. “Explain yourself immediately.”

Maddie took a deep breath. “Daniel, it was…ill-considered. Howie doesn’t really understand how dangerous it was, and nothing happened. Evan is fine.”

“He basically pointed a gun at our brother’s head and pulled the trigger,” Daniel said evenly. “And he got lucky that nothing happened. Because if Evan had suffered so much as a hang nail due to his disgusting fucking behavior—I’d be in the midst of ruining his life.”

“You’re making this a bigger deal than it is,” Chimney interjected.

“Don’t fucking speak to me, Howard,” Daniel said evenly. “My sister may think taking a ride on your dick is worth the risks you’ve taken with my brother’s life, but I don’t.”

Buck exhaled slowly as Chim’s mouth dropped open, and Maddie huffed dramatically.

“Daniel!”

“Normally,” Daniel continued, “I just wait until she gets bored with whomever she’s fucking and fucking over before I make a decision about how things will go forward. But she went and had a kid with you—which is unfortunate. I love my niece, and I’m relieved you refused to sign the birth certificate.”

“Well, I can add my name at any time,” Chimney snapped and turned to Maddie. “You’re going to let him talk to me this way?”

Maddie pursed her lips briefly. “Daniel is the executor of the living trust that our grandparents created for the three of us. He pays all of my bills and bought the house you live in rent-free. So, yes, he can talk to you any way he likes.” Chim stared at her in shock. “And you’ll need a court order to get added to the birth certificate at this point, Howie. I already told you that.”

Buck laughed before he could help himself.

“Fuck you, Buck! Why did you say anything at all? You knew it was a joke, and your brother didn’t need to know!”

“Evan didn’t tell me a damn thing,” Daniel said sharply. “Maddie told me. She tells me everything, Howard. I know all about your parents, your brother, and the pocket money your daddy gives you to stay out of his face. All of my sister’s assets are in the trust—every single penny she makes goes into it because she makes terrible decisions, and she knows it. I’m not going to let some fuck up, like you, come along and rob her blind. That’s why you didn’t get that new car you asked for last year. She’s only allowed to spend a thousand dollars a year on gifts for whomever she’s shacked up with per the agreement she made with me in exchange for me managing her finances.”

“I can’t believe you’ve let this jackoff control your money, Maddie,” Chim said in shock. “Are you serious right now? What about when we get married?”

Maddie frowned at him. “Howie, I told you years ago that I’m never getting remarried. I’ve already got one ex-husband living in a psych ward. There won’t be another. The living trust protects my assets, and sometimes my gifts…have allowed me to be influenced poorly. Daniel’s null status means that he can’t be manipulated in that way.”

“Wait.” Buck sat up from his slouch. “Doug’s in a psych ward? Seriously?”

“He woke up six months ago,” Daniel said. “But he’s non-verbal and screams his head off unless he’s heavily medicated. His parents contacted me and tried to demand funding for his care. They tried to prey on my better nature.” He focused on Chimney. “But I don’t have one, and you’d be well served to remember that going forward. You’re on thin ice, and there is no coming back from what you’ve done. You can go now, and you aren’t welcome in my home, either. When my sister gets tired of you—you’ll walk away without a word and do exactly as she wishes regarding her child. If you fail to do so, I’ll make sure your father learns all of your secrets. It should go without saying but leave Evan alone. I don’t want you speaking to him unless you have no choice. I’ll be letting Bobby Nash know this.”

“You can’t make decisions about our work,” Chimney protested. “Don’t be stupid.”

Daniel braced both hands on his knees and stood. “It wasn’t Maddie who demanded that her husband be punished for hitting her, Howard. Years ago, I instructed Maddie’s spirit guide to protect her physically from all threats, and it agreed. Being psy-null doesn’t mean much in a family like mine.” He waved a hand. “But feel free to fuck around and find out.”

 

 

Chapter 5

Eddie put his phone aside and went to open his front door. Buck had texted and asked to come over with the knowledge that Christopher was already down for the night. Which meant he was seeking adult time, and Eddie was on board with that. So, he’d asked to be texted to avoid a ringing doorbell. Eddie opened the door as Buck came up the steps.

“Hey,” Buck said and offered a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

All of Eddie’s sex plans sort of flew out the window, which was fine. As much he wanted to take Evan Buckley to bed, he wanted the man in his life in a real way more. Sex was easy to come by, but genuine intimacy had been missing from his life for a very long time.

“Hey.” Eddie shut and locked the door. “Beer?”

“It’s not good to drink when I’m upset,” Buck said. “It makes it hard to maintain my mental defenses.” He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and took a deep breath. “My brother is furious.”

“With you?” Eddie questioned.

“With Chimney, but he isn’t happy with me for not immediately telling him what happened. Daniel doesn’t…do well when he’s left in the dark. I just didn’t want to worry him about a situation that he couldn’t do anything about. He’s always been protective of me, and becoming an adult didn’t do much to slow his roll on that front. He paid for my lawyer when I sued for emancipation. In fact, he was just waiting for me to voice a single complaint about living with our parents.

“Our second option was him suing for custody, so either way, I wasn’t going to stay in that house.” Buck followed him through the house. “Taking me to bed, Eddie?”

“If I thought that was what you needed…yes,” Eddie said and pushed open the door to the small office he kept. “Is that what you need?”

Buck flushed, threw himself on the sofa in the office, and shoved off his shoes. “I don’t often turn down sex when I’m with someone I can trust.”

Eddie joined him on the couch after shutting and locking the door. “Chris sleeps on the opposite side of the house from this office. I figured it was a good place to talk without waking him up.” He paused. “And my bedroom is across the hall.”

Buck rubbed his knee with one hand as he nodded and exhaled slowly. “I love my siblings.”

“I’ve two sisters,” Eddie said and sat down on the couch. He shifted around and settled in the corner so he was facing Buck. “Adrianna is my mother’s favorite and basically her mirror in personality. She also looks a great deal like her. Sophia is just eighteen months older than me, and my parents basically forgot about her when I was born because my father finally got the son he wanted.”

“You said they abused all three of you,” Buck said.

“Yeah, being the favorite didn’t spare Adrianna the rod, so to speak,” Eddie said. “I think she basically trauma bonded with both of them. Sophia has been in no contact with both of our parents for six years. She’s not married and got pregnant. My mother blew up over it and basically had a lawn tantrum in front of Sophia’s house. She left Texas as a result, but…well. She thinks the stress caused a miscarriage, and I don’t discount it. She’ll never forgive either of them for it. Sophia’s partner left her before the miscarriage because he couldn’t handle the verbal abuse from my parents. They think she lives in New York now, but she’s here in LA.”

“I’m going to send the kobold,” Buck said seriously. “And honestly, anything else I come across on the job that is willing to travel. Jax is going to spend a lot of time escorting asshole spirits and demons to Texas. There will be studies done on the sudden influx of paranormal activity in El Paso, but I don’t care.”

Eddie laughed, more amused than he should be. “They deserve that and more. After Sophia basically ran from El Paso, my mother focused all of her attention on my wife and child. I was overseas, in a war zone, and my wife was calling me in tears on the regular. I banned my mother from contacting Shannon at all the last six months I was in the Army and had to pay for an upgraded security system on the house to keep her at bay.

“Even with all of that, I still let them manipulate me when I came home and Shannon…ran away.”

“You were severely injured, medicated, and hurting,” Buck said. “And Shannon left without you and Chris. Lashing out is understandable, but it’s good that you recognize now that they manipulated you. Have you had any contact with Shannon recently?”

“No,” Eddie shook his head. “I think it has to be her choice at this point because there’s a lot of hostility between us, and making demands on her will only make it worse. She doesn’t want to be a mother, and maybe she never did but terminating the pregnancy wasn’t an option for her. I’m grateful for that because I can’t imagine my life without my son in it. I love him so much, and I don’t understand how my parents could stand to treat us the way they did. Their love is toxic and cruel.”

“Love often is,” Buck said and shrugged. “I don’t think my parents love me at all. I was just useful. They only had me to save Daniel’s life. Then afterward, they found a different purpose for me.”

“You said that before and I wanted to ask for details but felt like I shouldn’t.”

“Ah, well, Daniel had leukemia, and there were no bone marrow donors in the system to match. So, I was created to be a perfect match for him. I donated bone marrow which saved his life when I was a year old,” Buck said, then shrugged like it was no big deal. “But curing his cancer didn’t fix the real issue they had with their son because the leukemia hadn’t been suppressing any sort of mediumship in Daniel. But, again, I was right there being exactly what they needed. I started speaking at five months old, and spirits flocked to the house. My mother never did a thing to protect me from any of it. So, Verity became my protector, and to this day, she barely refrains from strangling my mother.”

“Buck, that’s…awful,” Eddie said and reached out. He took Buck’s hand and laced their fingers together. “Jax said there was a brouhaha involving your brother.”

Buck smiled briefly. “Yeah, I have Daniel’s house on lockdown, so Jax can’t go there. Daniel is very protective of me and always has been. It caused more arguments and problems with our parents than my refusal to do what they wanted with my gifts. He wanted to take custody of me as soon as he finished undergrad, but I told him I was fine. I wasn’t, of course, but I didn’t want to interfere in his plans for medical school. I didn’t last as long as I wanted, but that was more about Verity’s patience than my own.” He looked down at their hands.

Eddie watched Buck rub his thumb across the top of his hand. “What do you need, Buck?”

“I just…. I was sitting in my truck in a bar parking lot,” Buck confessed. “Thinking about picking someone up for sex.”

Eddie couldn’t help but grimace. He had no hold on Buck, of course, because one kiss didn’t equal any sort of commitment. “But, you didn’t.”

“I didn’t even get out of the truck,” Buck said and exhaled slowly. “I spend a lot of time on lockdown because of my gifts. The only time I really get to let go is during sex because physical pleasure overwhelms everything else. Plus, having another person that close to me is…I crave it. When I was younger, I fucked around a lot, but I played safe.”

“And your sister is the same, right?” Eddie said.

“Yeah, she manages that by…doing what she does since she’d prefer not to have sex with strangers. I don’t resent that part, honestly, because I get it. She’s afraid to fall in love again because of what her ex-husband did to her. So, she flits from one monogamous relationship to another with men she tolerates but will never love. She has a lot of trauma due to her life experiences and her gifts. The problem is that she’s never sought any sort of healing to deal with it and refuses to medicate for the resulting depression because it interferes with her ability to communicate with the dead. We argue a lot as a result and often go months without speaking.”

Eddie nodded. “Do you and Daniel have a plan in place to take custody of her kid if she goes completely off the rails?”

“Yeah, of course,” Buck said easily. “Due to our gifts, both of us have POAs and living wills that put Daniel in charge of us if something awful happens. That’s to protect us from our parents, but now there is Jee-Yun to consider. I doubt Chimney has the first clue about it, and maybe he doesn’t care. Since he’d prefer to keep getting an allowance from his father rather than admit he has a child with a woman he isn’t married to.”

“That’s….” Eddie couldn’t fathom not having any sort of legal claim over his own child. “He’s a real piece of shit.”

“He’s weak and easily manipulated,” Buck said. “Which is Maddie’s preference. Chimney’s probably never going to make her deal with her issues or confront her on any subject that will make her kick him to the curb.”

“And he thought the salt line thing would work out in his favor?”

“Oh, he probably thought no one would guess that he did it. Honestly, I wouldn’t have suspected him at all if Jax hadn’t told me. I didn’t consider him any sort of threat before then. I’ve made a few enemies in the community because of my opinions about interactions with the dead, and there are people who’d fuck with me given the opportunity. In that vein, my brother is insisting I get an actual security system installed—complete with cameras.”

“It’s a good idea,” Eddie said and laughed when Buck made a face. “And it’ll be needed to keep out regular people. You’re already fairly popular online already, and once the show gains momentum, it’s only going to be more of a concern.”

“I already agreed,” Buck said. “It’s just another layer of protection, and I’ll get my head around it eventually.”

“So, you left the bar and came here,” Eddie said.

“I don’t want to use you,” Buck said roughly and averted his gaze even as his fingers clenched against Eddie’s. “But also, I want to be with you, so it’s a weird mental place for me.”

Eddie grinned. “Don’t make it complicated.” He pulled gently and was pleased when Buck didn’t hesitate to slide across the couch into his space. “Tell me what you need.”

Buck huffed softly against his cheek. “Stop being perfect; it’s awful.”

Eddie cupped the back of Buck’s head. “Come on, tell me.”

“I need to get out of my head for a bit,” Buck admitted with clear reluctance. “So, if my head wasn’t full of you, I’d have gone into that gay bar, picked up the toppiest bastard in the place, and taken him to a hotel. He’d have gotten a fake name if he bothered to ask for a name at all. I’d have let him fuck me once, maybe twice, if he was good at it and could get it up for a second round fairly quickly. Then I’d have gone home, taken a shower, and within a week, I wouldn’t even remember his face.”

“Sounds lonely,” Eddie murmured. “But also physically satisfying. I can’t say I haven’t done similar.”

“But lately, I want more,” Buck admitted. “And maybe that’s why I tried so hard to make things work with Abby despite our differences. We got along fine, and she was affectionate, sweet even. But she made it clear that she wasn’t interested in having a baby and….” He flushed and shrugged. “I want kids, so that was never going to last.”

Eddie had several potential partners completely disappear once discovering he was a single parent, so it was relieving to hear Buck admit that he wanted children. He trailed his fingers down Buck’s smooth cheek and wondered if the man had shaved before heading out to get laid.

“I want you.” Eddie watched Buck’s eyes darken. “And I’m very willing to take you to bed, but I need you to know that’s not all I want. I’d like to try to build…I think we could have something amazing together. I’m glad you came here instead of letting some stranger fuck you.”

“I think we could, too,” Buck said. “You’ve got a lot of amazing going on already, and right out of the gate, I wanted to be part of it. Take me to bed.” He wet his lips. “You’re okay topping, right? I don’t want to make assumptions, and I’m comfortable with both.”

“I’ve done both, but I prefer to top,” Eddie said. “I don’t always get a lot out of being penetrated—at least on the physical front. It can be emotionally rewarding for me with the right partner.” He stood and pulled Buck from the sofa. “Come on.”

Buck pulled his T-shirt over his head as Eddie led him into the bedroom. He tossed it on a chair next and turned as the door was locked. “I don’t want to fuck this up—on any level.”

“Then you won’t,” Eddie said easily as he curled fingers into the front of Buck’s jeans. “I don’t expect perfection from anyone.” The button gave way to a nimble movement of Eddie’s fingers, and Buck inhaled slowly. “Let’s just get you out of your head for a bit.”

Buck nodded and unzipped his jeans. “Supplies?” He watched Eddie cross the room and pull open the top drawer on a tall dresser. “Hiding that from Chris?”

“He’ll ransack the whole house for a charging cord,” Eddie said wryly and put the lube and a strip of condoms on the bedside table before he started to undress.

Buck laughed a little, shed his jeans and boxers, then took off his socks. He dropped it all with his T-shirt on the chair and pulled the dark blue duvet back. The sheets were cool as he moved onto the bed and sprawled on his back. He focused on Eddie just as the man joined him on the bed, crawling over him without any hesitation. Buck spread his legs in overt invitation, and Eddie hummed under his breath as he settled on his knees.

“You’re really attractive,” Buck muttered. “Normally, I’m the pretty one in bed.”

“You are definitely the pretty one in this bed,” Eddie told him and grinned when Buck laughed. He trailed one finger up the length of Buck’s hard cock and wet his lips. “I’m clean. My tests are pretty recent, and I always use condoms.”

“Yeah, same. I haven’t been with anyone since Abby bailed.” Buck took a deep breath as Eddie leaned down and shivered when the man licked up the length of his cock. “Fuck.” He spread his legs further and threw both hands over his head, curling his fingers around the edge of the mattress.

Eddie looked up as he rubbed his bearded cheek against the sensitive skin of Buck’s inner thigh and grinned when Buck groaned. “I guess my beard did lead you astray.”

“It’s fast approaching a fetish, and I don’t even care,” Buck confessed and shuddered when Eddie took his cock in hand and sucked on the head. “Oh, that’s…wow.”

He flexed his hips just once before Eddie caught hold of him with both hands and held him in place, then sucked his cock all the way in. As it turned out, he had no self-control at all, or Eddie’s cock sucking skills bordered on prodigious because he tumbled right toward orgasm in record time.

“I’m not….” Buck shivered. “I’m going to come.” Eddie sucked harder, and Buck groaned with shock as he’d expected Eddie to pull off and give him time to cool down so they could fuck. He came between one breath and the next, trembling through the sweet pleasure of orgasm for the first time in weeks.

Oh, as the realization hit him. He hadn’t bothered to even jerk off in weeks. A little embarrassed at himself and his lack of stamina, Buck shifted on the mattress and reached out for Eddie the moment the man lifted his head. Eddie leveraged completely on top of him, tucking his thick cock against the crease of Buck’s thigh.

Eddie kissed him before he could even apologize, and Buck buried one hand in his lover’s hair. He relaxed under Eddie, body sated from orgasm and at ease in a way that hadn’t been possible for a while. They kissed for several long moments, and Buck explored as much as he could—trailing hands down the strong line of Eddie’s back, over his ass, and back up his sides. He loved the warmth and weight of another person pressing him down.

The stroke of Eddie’s tongue into his mouth caused his stomach to clench, and his cock started to harden again. Eddie made a pleased sound against his lips and rocked forward several times before shifting off of him and reaching out for the lube.

“Sorry,” Buck blurted out. “It’s been a while and….” He trailed off when Eddie shook his head.

“No apologies,” Eddie murmured as he slicked up his fingers. “I wanted you to come—to take the edge off. You clearly needed it. You’re a hot mess, honestly. Fortunately for you, I like that.”

Buck blushed and tried to frown at him, but it was hard to even try to be irritated with a man who’d just given him an expert blow job. He let his legs fall completely open as Eddie dropped the lube on the bed. Fingers pressed against his asshole, he pushed down into the penetration the moment Eddie slid a single finger inside because he was hungry for it and in no mood to be coy. He was rewarded with another finger, which he worked himself on shamelessly.

“Fuck,” Eddie murmured as he added a third finger. “You look so good like this.” He wet his lips. “Could you take my fist?”

Buck groaned and bit down on his bottom lip as he nodded.

“Let’s keep that for later,” Eddie said, and Buck relaxed because he loved the idea of it and was already on edge again. He didn’t know if he could maintain through something so intense.

He groaned when Eddie pulled his fingers free and reached over to grab the condom. Buck watched intently as Eddie rolled the condom on and slicked it up. The man had a long, thick cock. So, despite the prep, he was looking forward to a bit of a stretch. Eddie positioned his cock, pressing the fat head against the rim of Buck’s asshole, and slid right in.

Buck arched up off the bed, bearing down on Eddie’s cock with a pleased moan. He wrapped his legs around Eddie’s waist and pulled the man down into his embrace.

“Good?” Eddie questioned as he stilled.

“Yeah, give me more,” Buck urged and trembled with pleasure as Eddie rolled his hips and started to move with the natural grace that Buck had taken note of the first time he’d seen the man.

He met each thrust as best he could and finally let his feet drop to the mattress to gain leverage. Each heavy, full-bodied move Eddie made ground his cock against Buck’s prostate, and he was doing everything he could not to come too soon, again. Sweat broke on their skin, and Eddie brushed their mouths together.

“Can you come like this?” Eddie questioned hoarsely.

“Yeah, it’s so good,” Buck confessed.

“Do it then,” he encouraged, wrapping his hand around Buck’s hip. “Come on my cock.”

Buck shuddered as he gave into Eddie’s demand, spilling all over his stomach with a helpless groan. Eddie rocked against him, pressed his mouth against Buck’s cheek, and shuddered violently through his own orgasm. Buck curled his hands against Eddie’s back as he absorbed their mutual pleasure.

Eddie took in a ragged breath, kissed his mouth, then carefully pulled free of Buck’s body. He eased off and laid down beside him on the bed, then focused on Buck’s face. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Buck blew out a breath. “That was great.”

“Yeah, even better than I expected.”

Buck grinned. “You thought about it a lot?”

Eddie quirked an eyebrow. “Well, yes. You’re practically all I think about, and I’m surprisingly okay with that.” He rolled out of bed. “Shower?”

Buck took that for the hint that was and nodded as he left the bed. “Sure, I need to get home after that.”

Eddie hesitated for a moment and cleared his throat. “You don’t want to stay?”

“Oh.” Buck wet his lips. “I thought…you were suggesting that I leave. Chris would have questions if I was just at breakfast randomly, right?”

Eddie motioned him into the bathroom and disposed of the condom before washing his hands. “He’s the curious sort, but if you’re dressed and at the table when he wakes up, he’ll just assume that you’re here for breakfast. He won’t question it…probably, and I’m not actually interested in hiding the fact that you’re who I want to be with from my son. He knows I’m gay, Buck. He already suggested I ask you out, and I had to endure a very horrifying conversation with my seven-year-old about what my type is. Do you need the safety of your own home to be comfortable enough to sleep?”

“You have a solid salt line. Jax is in Chris’ room napping on the foot of his bed, and Verity is in the kitchen judging your appliances.”

Eddie turned on the water. “Stay if you want. I won’t be an asshole if you need your own bed.”

Buck really didn’t and shrugged a little. Eddie caught his hand and pulled him into the large stall. “It’s nice to sleep next to someone.”

“I agree,” Eddie murmured, cupped his head, and kissed his mouth. “You’re so gorgeous. I have a question—you don’t have to answer.”

“Okay.”

“Do you only get psychic impressions from dead people? Because…there seemed to be extra going on for you when I came.”

Buck exhaled noisily and considered how to answer that even as Eddie maneuvered him under the shower head and started soaping a washcloth. “No one has ever brought it up before. But, yeah, I felt it. Just a little…wave of pleasure. I don’t seek it out, and I can’t control it.”

“I’m not remotely upset about it,” Eddie promised. “I was just curious. I’ve met other psychic mediums, but I’ve never had…the chance to ask questions. But you can tell me anything.”

Buck pulled him close and pressed a kiss against his jaw, then rubbed his nose against Eddie’s beard. “I have…an immense beard fetish, and it’s your fault.”

Eddie snorted then started to laugh. He slipped a little, and Buck caught him.

“Easy there, Eds,” Buck said in amusement. “We wouldn’t want to have to call 9-1-1.”

* * * *

Buck set aside his phone as Christopher came into the kitchen dressed for school. The boy grinned at the sight of him. “Hey, kiddo.”

“Jax was in my room, but he left. He said he had to go eat the better part of a cow.”

Buck nodded. “Ker’s eat a lot despite their size and mostly in private. You wouldn’t want to bear witness to an actual feeding.”

Chris settled in his seat and picked up the orange juice that Eddie had already poured him. “Are you and Daddy working on location today? Can I come to a haunted house when I don’t have school?”

Buck’s stomach lurched a little at the thought, and he glanced toward Eddie, who was at the stove micromanaging a skillet full of turkey sausage links. The man’s shoulders were tense as fuck, which was answer enough. So, Buck cleared his throat and focused on Christopher.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Chris.” He took a deep breath when the boy frowned and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. “Listen—some people treat haunted locations and ghosts like entertainment. And I know that from the outside, it might appear that I’m the same because of the work I did on my sister’s show and because I agreed to make another show about my mediumship.”

“Abuelita says you respect the dead,” Chris interjected. “She said it set you apart.”

“I’m glad to know that,” Buck said. “The thing is—when we’re on location, we’ll have to focus on each other a lot of the time to get the job we’re being paid to do done. Sometimes the circumstances will be dangerous on the spiritual front, and I would have to split my focus if you were there. Jax and Verity would also be very distracted by your presence.”

“And that would be dangerous for you?” Chris questioned.

“It could be, yes, because they would naturally seek to protect a child over me, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But that means we have to keep the location as clean as possible when it comes to who attends a walk-through and the discussion with a spirit, which can sometimes be a very painful experience for everyone in the room.”

“Is your job going to make you sad?” Chris asked. “Shouldn’t it make you happy? I wouldn’t want a job that hurt.”

“Well, there is a special kind of healing that comes from emotional pain,” Buck said. “Sometimes, helping another person accept their circumstances and move on is a deeply rewarding experience, even if it hurts.”

“Okay….” He frowned at the plate of eggs, sausage, and toast that Eddie slid into place in front of him. “If it’s not entertainment, why put it on TV?”

“I want to show people a different side of hauntings and ghosts,” Buck said. “I want to…show them that the dead should treated with a great deal more respect than most consider reasonable. Their lives mattered, and ghosts only come from trauma. People overlook that, and many even blame the dead for their inability to cross over. I want the show to reflect all of that, and we’ll only film spirits with their permission.”

“Okay,” Chris said. “That all sounds good. I’m glad you’re going to do something so nice for them.” He paused and picked up his fork. “Will Verity ever cross over?”

“Not as long as there is a medium in her line,” Buck said. “She made a vow to watch over the gifted in our family as long as she can. It’s an important calling for her—one she died for.”

“She followed me to school.”

“I know; she likes to check on the kids in my life. She followed Athena Grant’s daughter around for several weeks last year and prevented her from making a terrible mistake. If it made you uncomfortable….” He trailed off when the boy shook his head.

“I like her.” Chris stabbed his sausage. “And my teacher stopped yelling. I think she’s scared, but it’s probably for the best since she was being awful. She probably needs a vacation.”

“Or a new job,” Eddie muttered as he brought two plates to the table and put one down in front of Buck. “I think I overcooked your eggs, sorry. Over easy is never a safe bet for me, anyways.”

“Over mediumish is fine,” Buck said with a grin. “Thanks.”

* * * *

Two days after Mt. Daniel blew, Buck found himself back in his brother’s house along with Maddie and his niece. She’d deposited Jee in his lap almost immediately upon entering, and Jee was babbling sounds at him excitedly, complete with handwaving. Buck adored Jee, and the most irritating part of the current situation was that Maddie clearly intended to weaponize his affection for her daughter to get what she wanted from both of them. Buck wondered if she even recognized her own intent.

“The problem is, Maddie, is that you think with your dick,” Daniel snapped, and Maddie glared at him. “And it’s getting old. I get it! You fell in love with the wrong man, and you never intend on doing that shit again. So, you date and fuck men that could never inspire any sort of affection in you because sex makes you feel better.”

Buck bounced Jee gently. “Daniel, watch your language in front of the baby.”

Daniel huffed and took a long drink from his water bottle as he waved a hand in frustration in Maddie’s direction. “You know she does.”

“Sex does help blunt the edges,” Buck admitted. “And her theoretical penis gets a bigger workout than my real one.”

“Chimney’s furious about the work restrictions, and it’s stressful,” Maddie blurted out. “Which doesn’t really make any sense to me because our shows aren’t connected or even on the same schedule. We aren’t sharing locations or set space. I got this brother hired like he wanted, which was to please his father. I don’t think it’s a good idea, and Albert is probably going to tell their father about Jee. He’s not a dumb ass; he’s certainly noticed that Jee is half-Korean and it isn’t like it’s a secret at all at work. This whole situation is frustrating and awful.”

“Maybe the job is a bribe then,” Buck suggested and shrugged when she frowned at him. “You tell Chimney as little as you can get away with, and he’s a known liar. Why would he be any different with you? Apparently, the woman before you thought he won an Emmy for cinematography and that he was Bobby’s silent business partner. Why wouldn’t he bribe his brother and lie to you about it?”

Daniel sighed. “Is your ability to control him worth the stress? I get it—being in charge makes you feel safe. Maddie, going forward, you can just assume that neither of us are going to trust him or any of the men that come after him just because you say so.”

“Evan could’ve handled anything that crossed the line, and Verity is never far from him,” Maddie said. “He was never in any real danger, Daniel.”

“Verity has her limits, and Evan has weaknesses,” Daniel said. “He went over to Evan’s house with the intent to do him harm by destroying his salt line, Maddie. Don’t you get it? He might as well have taken a gun over there and fired into the fucking house.” He huffed when Jee made an excited sound that sounded a lot like the F word. “Shit.”

“You’re the worst,” Maddie said darkly. “She won’t even try to say anything that sounds like mommy.” She crossed her arms. “Chim doesn’t take any of it seriously, and that’s been a problem from the start. Not even getting punched in the stomach by a shadow figure during our first year put a dent in his apathy regarding the paranormal. One of the first things he asked me was if I could contact his mother. Once I explained that no medium can breach the veil between our world and the afterlife and that his mother didn’t appear to be lingering in his life, he really had no use for my gifts.”

“That must have been a relief,” Buck said thoughtfully but focused on Jee. “Most people invest themselves in figuring out how my gifts can be of some benefit to them. He does see you as a meal ticket, though.”

“He’s built his career around the show,” Maddie said and shrugged. “He doesn’t see how temporary it all is and hasn’t bothered to look ahead to see what’s next for his career. He’s burned a few bridges since we signed the last set of contracts that guaranteed us three more seasons at Beyond. If he’s not careful, we’ll have to shop the show to another production company. I know that Bobby Nash isn’t going to tolerate his behavior long-term.”

“Chim’s going to blame me for that,” Buck said. “And probably already does despite the fact that the new audience I brought to your show stayed for your most recent online mini-series. Your ratings haven’t taken any kind of dip at all.”

“He said the success of your episodes boiled down to editing because you were a real problem at all the locations,” Maddie said. “And failed to follow the format of the show.”

Buck shrugged. “I told you, Bobby, and the executives at Beyond that I wasn’t going to run around in the dark and pretend to be afraid of anything, Maddie. I meant it, and if Chimney didn’t get that memo, then that isn’t my problem.” He focused on Jee and found the baby smiling at him. “I can’t stand him, and his lack of respect for the dead is appalling. He’s worse than Taylor on that front, and that’s saying something. She actually got excited by the idea of a child ghost.”

“She’s mercenary,” Maddie said. “And that makes a good foil for me on screen.”

“It certainly makes you appear more sympathetic,” Daniel said dryly. “Look, I’m not changing my mind about him. He’s not welcome here, and if he shows up at Evan’s house again—I’m going to teach him a profound financial lesson that will follow him into his retirement. I couldn’t be more serious. I don’t take it on faith that Evan can handle whatever comes his way, and I never will.”

“He really doesn’t need you to protect him,” Maddie muttered. “He’s an adult, in case you missed it.”

“I’m aware of his age,” Daniel said. “And I’m fortunate to be alive to see him all grown up because there was a time when I worried that I wouldn’t be.”

Buck winced when Maddie’s eyes brightened with tears.

“Don’t turn on the waterworks,” Daniel said sternly. “It’s not going to work on me. I was there when you figured out how to cry on demand, remember?”

“I’m really upset about this, Daniel!”

“Sure, you are,” Daniel muttered and focused on Buck. “You need to contact your agent and let her know what went down so she can be prepared for whatever else might happen in response to Han’s bullshit behavior.”

“Shit!”

Buck focused on Jee and bit down on his lip. “Oh, no.”

“Shit,” Jee declared firmly.

“Oh, my gosh,” Maddie said and plucked her up from Buck’s lap. “You’re so smart! Your Uncle Daniel is awful, but you’re just the most brilliant baby ever.”

Since his niece was barely five months old, Buck knew she’d just hit a milestone very early. It didn’t bode well, and he waited for it to sink in. Maddie stilled and took a deep breath against her baby’s hair.

“Oh.” Real tears slid down her cheek. “Baby, no.”

“What?” Daniel asked. “Maddie? What’s the average age on first words?”

“Ten to twelve months,” Maddie said and took in a deep breath. “Remember when Evan was a baby? He said your name when he was this small. Mom was thrilled because there hadn’t been a psychic medium in the family in generations, and early talking was a sure sign of it. She called him a gift and, looking back on that moment, it sounded obscene to me. I was just nine.”

“You need to lock down your house,” Buck said. “And Chimney needs to be neutralized if you’re going to continue to use him for your own purposes. You can’t trust him to maintain the security needed to protect your baby, Maddie. You’ll need layered wards going forward, and we can tear up the floorboards in her bedroom—put a salt line under the floor along all four walls, and I’ll ask Verity to find her a guardian spirit.”

“Verity wouldn’t do it?” Maddie questioned. “She’s as much my ancestor as yours, Evan. You won’t give her up for Jee?”

“I would, yes, but….” Buck took a deep breath. “Verity can’t stand you, Maddie. I’d never ask her to tolerate you all day, every day. It wouldn’t be fair to her. There are others from our line, lingering and watching over us from a distance. One will step up to protect Jee. It just won’t ever be Verity.”

“I’ve never done anything to her,” Maddie snapped. “That’s not fair, Evan. Why?”

“You don’t respect your gifts,” Buck said. “And you remind her of Margaret, whom she honestly wouldn’t mind watching get set on fire. Plus, she’s never going to forgive you for taking their money to lie in court regarding my emancipation.”

Maddie averted her gaze. “I….it was a lot of money, and I needed it. I didn’t have access to my trust fund yet. And you were going to be eighteen in two years anyway, Evan. You could’ve waited and saved everyone the embarrassment.”

Buck stood. “No, I couldn’t. I filed for emancipation because Margaret decided I should be homeschooled because high school was taking up too much time that I could’ve been spending working for her in that awful church of theirs. Verity told me I had to get out of that house, or she was going to kill them both.” Maddie’s mouth dropped open. “And she meant it. Verity has killed three times since she was executed Maddie and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again in the right circumstances.

“That’s also a very good reason for you to make sure Chimney stays away from me—she’s just looking for an excuse at this point. And he’s fortunate that it was Jax and not something much worse that invaded my house.” He checked his watch. “I have to go. Eddie wants to do a practice walk-through, and Lou arranged a private commission with filming privileges to get access to the right kind of haunting on Saturday. So, I need to set up stuff for that. Since we’re going to film—it’ll probably end up part of the short series that Eddie is producing for streaming.”

Maddie frowned. “Why did Bobby keep him? We figured with Hen on your team, you wouldn’t need Eddie Diaz. Seems like a waste of money.”

Buck sighed. “Ask Bobby—I don’t actually get to make a lot of decisions about that kind of thing. I barely managed to help interview interns, and we only picked one when we were supposed to get two from the pool.”

PART 2