Caim

32 | final straw

Caim's POV

"She's dead," the condo's deafening silence confirmed what Lucas had said. Layla is no longer alive, and the girl I gave the locket to is no longer alive. It was like a bucket of ice-cold water on my head, and everything inside of me came to a halt as time stood still. She was gone, the girl who made me comfortable in her presence, gone for my own selfish reasons.

"I warned you, Caim, that it was a bad idea, but you didn't listen and went ahead with your plan, and now our worst fears have come true. She is no longer alive "He yelled. His voice echoed off the small house in England.

"What have we done, Caim? We killed an innocent person; sure, we didn't pull the trigger, but she died because we made her a victim! We thought it would be a good idea to turn her into our guinea pig "His gaze shifted away from my face and toward the ceiling.

"Now it's up to us to make things right," he said quietly.

"Did you get the locket, Lucas?" His head snapped to me, eyes narrowed into a slit, lip pursed. He's disappointed in me. I couldn't help but think rationally. She died because she had the locket, but I can't let Grey have it. Our organisations could not handle it, and I am their leader for a reason.

"Caim, do you even understand what you're saying? That girl is no longer alive, and you're still concerned about that locket? I understand that the locket is very important to us, but that doesn't mean we need to become stone-hearted and ignore it." he breathed. "she died, because we let it happen"

Lucas's eyes were filled with rage as he stared at me. I realize I'm being impolite in this situation, but I don't have any other choice. Nobody can help me because I bear the responsibility for the entire mob. My dad left it on me when he was killed.

I still remember the day he asked me to agree to his position as the next 'the lions' leader, but I was terrified, I won't lie, I was terrified shitless, but as time passed, I began to see this organisation as a family rather than a responsibility left by my father.

So, with my people in grave danger, I couldn't just sit and cry for my friend who died protecting me, us. I'm sad, upset, and even angry, but I can't help but think that if she died protecting that locket, I can't let her sacrifice go in vain. I was a selfish jerk when I purposefully put her in danger, knowing her life was in jeopardy. Nonetheless, I gave her the locket.

Come to think of it, If William hadn't made that record file and hidden it inside that forbidden jewelry, none of this would have happened, in my opinion.

" Lucas, "I know you're upset, but I have to think about my people; it's not their fault Layla died, so they can't face the consequences of my wrongdoing," I said, pulling out my phone to call Jacub.

It's been two months since I last spoke with him when Lucas barged into the mansion. The day was full of unexpected surprises, starting with Layla and her sister going out to eat ice cream late at night, followed by the shooting.

We were alarmed when Lucas said he saw Grey's men in Layla's neighbourhood, but it turned out they were there to take money from their drug dealers, not to steal the locket. I was sceptical at first because I know there aren't many sellers in the area, but when I sent Lucas and some of my men to double-check, it turned out to be true. They had come to collect the ransom money from the drug smugglers.

And as for the shooting, it started when one of Grey's men saw Jamie my men hidden behind a tree and assumed they were there to attack them, so he started shooting hastily, and the rest followed. And because Lucas suspected they were attacking them, he, too, gave orders to shoot, and the firing began.