The Heart System

Chapter 766: Chapter 766

Ruby and Sadie crossed their arms at almost the same time.

Then Tuck laughed bitterly.

"I’m sorry." He shook his head. "I’m sorry I made it quick. I should’ve tortured that bastard before putting him in the ground."

The sound of a pistol being drawn cut through the yard. King stepped forward, raised the handgun with both hands, and aimed it squarely at Tuck’s chest.

I immediately stepped between them. "Tuck, what the hell are you saying?"

"A baby died!" Tuck roared as he pointed around the yard at everyone watching. "A fucking baby. An innocent baby died, and all you people care about is Murad. Tell me something. Are those two lives worth the same to you?"

Ruby’s expression didn’t change.

"Murad didn’t kill anybody," she said. "He told us where you ran your business and where your territory ended. That was all he did."

"Then who fired the shot?" Tuck shouted back. "Who hit Jimmy’s wife? She lost her baby because of that!"

Ruby folded her arms tighter.

"What was Jimmy’s wife doing at a drug deal in the first place, Tuck? What was she doing standing in the middle of all that white sugar?"

"WHAT?" Tuck yelled. "Jimmy kept her away from all of this. You opened fire in that parking lot, and she got caught in the crossfire!"

King took another step forward, his grip tightening around the pistol. "You raise your voice at Ruby one more time, and I’ll put you on the ground."

Tuck didn’t even look at him. "You should be apologizing," he said, pointing straight at the twins. "Both of you."

"Tuck," I said firmly, trying to keep him focused. "Enough. Just finish this so we can take Mel home and leave."

He shook his head without taking his eyes off Ruby. "There ain’t a chance in hell I’m apologizing to them."

"What about Murad, then?" Ruby asked. "You knew him. He had a disabled mother waiting for him at home. Do you have any idea what happened to her after you killed her son?"

"The hell do I care?" Tuck shot back. "The moment he betrayed us, he stopped being family. Besides, your people got a baby killed."

I rubbed my forehead with a tired sigh. At this point, I didn’t care who had been right all those years ago. I didn’t care whether Murad deserved what happened to him or whether Resistance had crossed a line afterward. None of that would bring anyone back, and none of it mattered to the girl waiting inside that house. All we needed was one apology so Mel could go home, yet Tuck kept dragging us back into an argument that had already ruined enough lives.

"Tuck," I said, keeping my voice calm. "Let’s think about why we’re here."

"I’m thinking just fine."

"No, you’re thinking about the past. I’m asking you to think about your sister."

King folded his arms and looked between us. "There won’t be another meeting," he said. "This gets settled tonight."

I grabbed Tuck by the arm and guided him a few steps away from everyone else. He looked irritated, but he came with me.

"They’re serious," I said quietly.

"I know."

"Then stop making this harder than it has to be. You don’t have to forgive anybody here, and you don’t have to agree with them. All you have to do is apologize, take Mel home, and leave this place behind."

"They’re asking me to bow my head."

"They’re asking you to choose your sister over your pride."

He looked away without answering.

"I saw Mel yesterday," I continued. "She wasn’t angry. She wasn’t crying about Murad or gangs or territory. She was scared, Tuck. She thought she’d never see you again."

He clenched his jaw.

"You keep talking about what happened years ago, but she’s living through something that’s happening right now."

"They’re still wrong."

"I’m not saying they’re right."

"They should be apologizing."

"Maybe they should. Maybe everybody here owes somebody an apology. That doesn’t change the fact that Mel is the one paying for all of this."

He stayed quiet, so I kept going.

"You told me she was the only family you had left. If that’s true, then prove it. Don’t prove it to me, and don’t prove it to them. Prove it to her."

He slowly rubbed the back of his neck.

"You think she’s going to remember who won this argument? She’s going to remember whether her brother came to bring her home."

His shoulders dropped a little.

"You can hate these people for the rest of your life if you want. You can leave this neighborhood tonight and never come back. None of that matters. What matters is getting Mel into the car and taking her somewhere safe."

He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath.

"I hate this."

"I know."

"They don’t deserve it."

"I’m not asking you to do it for them."

He bit the inside of his lip and stood there for several seconds before finally shaking his head. "Fine."

"Tuck," I said quietly. "Just say you’re sorry, and let’s go home."

He turned back toward Ruby and Sadie. "I’m sorry," he said, forcing the words out. "I’m sorry for everything that happened."

Ruby studied him for a moment before looking at her sister. Sadie understood immediately. She gave a small shrug, turned around, and walked back into the house.

A few moments later, she returned with Mel beside her.

Mel spotted Tuck the instant she stepped outside. "Tuck!"

She ran across the yard and threw her arms around him. He caught her without hesitation and hugged her tightly.

"It’s alright," he said, gently rubbing her back. "Everything’s alright now. We’re going home."

She looked up at him with frightened eyes. "What’s happening? I thought..."

"You don’t have to worry anymore," he said softly. "Let’s just go home."

King walked back to the sunbed and sat down. "I don’t want to see you anywhere near our neighborhood again, T."

Tuck nodded. "You won’t."

I let out a long breath as the tension finally drained from the yard. Mel was safe. That was all I cared about. As for the rest of this mess, it could stay buried in the past where it belonged. The only thing left on my mind was stopping by a store on the way home.

I now owed the little rascal an Xbox.

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