Page 41 of Every Chance to Stay

“I don’t normally take questions regarding my father.” He started, “But I will make an exception because this is important.” Speaking not just to the microphone shoved in his face but to the crowd that surprisingly listens.

Or perhaps not so surprising as Lucky’s friends move about the space, quieting the attendees enough to listen. When he glances towards the stage, he is rewarded with uncomfortable frowns and nervous twitches from the suits and the officials. They should be uncomfortable. They should feel ashamed…

“My father set in motion something infinitely damaging to the island. We could argue endlessly about positives and negatives, but it is not simply the existence of the resorts that constitutes the issue!” Things he had long felt, memories of a childhood lost in his father’s shadow… “This exact lack of consent is the outflow of his corruption. We have a petition—”

“How many signatures?” The report cut in.

“Over seven thousand.” Jack answered over his shoulder, “And still growing. You can sign electronically at the Marine Center’s website!” The opportunity for a free pitch was sure to make the representatives nervous.

“Consider that for a second.” Antonio glared, “Seven thousand on an island of less than forty thousand residents. And that number was gathered in under two weeks by a small group of volunteers.”

“It sounds as though you have close ties to this situation, what is the nature of your relationship with the Wilde family?” The reporters were gathering now.

“That has nothing to do with the topic.” They hadn’t discussed big announcements, they weren’t celebrities… Not really. “My stance here is my own, one I’ve never deviated from. The island always comes first. A global corporation purchasing our land from the governing body should be decided by the people, or at minimum the people should be given a chance to out bid.”

“Are you asking for a public auction instead of a private sale?” The reporter pressed.

“Yes.” Antonio crossed his arms, “There should have been an evaluation and an opportunity for the people to learn and dispute this before the decisions were pushed so far ahead. Why are we in development talks before the sale is finalized? Environmental impacts, tourism implications, and access concerns should have been made public long before they brought executives to the island!”

“Alright, that is enough!” Alexander Dove pushed up alongside Antonio, leaving the stage to end the interview. “Nothing has been decided yet, discussions are still happening and we will of course take the people into account. Due to the response, we will end the town hall here and announce a follow-up meeting later.”

The reporters were ready to argue but Antonio took the chance to slip away. He said everything he wanted to. What happened next would be for people with far more authority to decide.

His only concern was Lucky.

Antonio knelt in front of Lucky, fitting between the omega’s father and brother like he belonged there even as parts of him were still reeling. Jack tied a damp bandana around Lucky’s knee. “Where do you want to go, Lucky?”

He was slowly realizing he would do anything Lucky asked. Those blue eyes were his undoing. Glistening with tears like sapphires when they should be sparking with joy like the sun off the water… It enraged him. What right did they have to make Lucky cry? To make him shed blood? To make him sick with sorrow over a beach that should remain in the hands of the island by all rights and reason?

“Home.” Lucky whispered.

It was that simple.

“We’ll stay and deal with the crowd, take care of him.” Teague squeezed his shoulder and it felt like acceptance. Despite everything he just said, and the looming shadow of his father, Teague’s trusting words made him feel good.

As did Lucky’s arms curling around his neck when he lifted the omega. “I’ve got you.”

To his Jeep, to his home, to his bed. Antonio carried Lucky the entire way, kissing cold fingers and brushing away tears wherever possible. He cleaned the wound on Lucky’s knee, kneeling beside the bed to press a kiss to the bandage when he finished.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m so overwhelmed, I just… I didn’t expect them to ignore us, or to have moved so quickly. And the crowd was so angry…” Lucky hiccupped, trying to push down fresh tears. Antonio surged up onto his knees to cradle Lucky’s face. He kissed his cheeks and tasted salt.

“It’s okay to cry, mi amor. We do not need to know how to fix things tonight.” Even if it killed him to admit that he didn’t know what to do.

“It feels like a losing battle. Another one. First, the surveyor, then the typo, now suits at our town hall. This feels impossible to stop. It’s Lyrica Beach all over again—” Lucky cut himself off with a flinch, “Sorry, I…”

Antonio shook his head, a tired smile straining his face, “It’s an unfortunate precedent, but we won’t let it become a rule. I promise.”

Lucky didn’t need to worry about him on top of everything else.

“You can’t promise that, Antonio. It doesn’t work that way.” Lucky sighed, but he leaned into Antonio’s palm and that had to be enough for now.

“I am a stubborn fool then.” He guided Lucky down, until the omega was curled on his side, face pressed into a pillow. He didn’t bother undressing. He just joined Lucky in bed and settled against his back, curling an arm around his waist. Right now, all that mattered was being present.

Antonio held Lucky all night, until his breathing evened out and the sun was starting to rise on another day in Paradise. The island’s own name felt like mockery. But he slipped away only when he knew Lucky was properly asleep.

His phone read five in the morning when he stepped into his back garden. Sitting on a pool chair, head hung over his knees, Antonio eyed his mother’s contact information like her profile picture might bite him. Alexandria Saavedra was a beautiful woman, with long dark hair and his same eyes staring back. Her smiling lips were painted a signature red to match the scarf wrapped tastefully around her neck.

He pressed the call button before he could talk himself out of it.