Chapter 221: Hit by a Gun

Louis's POV

*Fuck.*

"You know, Louis Mitchell," he said, voice steady as the gun in his hand, "when I was hired to show you around, I couldn't believe my luck. Do you know how long I've waited for this moment?"

"Alan? Is this some kind of joke?" Jasmine's voice trembled with shock.

I pushed Jasmine slightly behind me, my mind racing to calculate options. The cliff was at our backs, Alan with a gun in front of us. Not ideal.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded, trying to buy time while my hand inched toward my own weapon.

"My name isn't Alan," he sneered, "at least not completely. My full name is Alan Blackwood."

That last name hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest. *Blackwood.*

"Benjamin Blackwood was my father," he continued, his voice filled with suppressed rage.

I stepped in front of Jasmine. "Listen, whatever you think happened—"

"Shut up!" Alan barked. "Mitchell and Russo joined forces to ruin our family, tortured and killed my father."

My fingers lightly touched the gun handle but didn't draw it. Now wasn't the time—his weapon was already pointed at us, and he was too close. One wrong move and Jasmine would be in danger.

"That's not true," I said, struggling to stay calm while quickly calculating my options for a counterattack in my mind. "Your father kidnapped and hurt innocent people. And you're just his illegitimate son, right? I had no idea you even existed before this, and you don't need to die for that psychopath."

Alan burst into maniacal laughter. "Innocent? There are no innocent people in our world, Louis. You know that better than anyone. And to be honest, I'm not doing this entirely for the old man—you guys screwed up my plans to get into that organization! I'm going to teach you a lesson." He turned his gun toward Jasmine. "I spent months tracking your movements, waiting for the perfect moment. A honeymoon in the Alps—how romantic—and also an... unexpectedly perfect opportunity."

*Shit*, I thought. I needed a chance, any chance. My gun was within reach, but the motion of drawing it would put Jasmine at risk.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to buy time. "Money? Territory? Revenge? Tell me your terms."

"What do I want?" Alan pondered for a moment. "I want you to feel the pain of loss. Just like I felt when I lost my father." His gun barrel pointed directly at Jasmine's heart. "Starting with her. Then you'll live with that pain until I decide to end it."

When Alan's finger moved toward the trigger, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. My hand quickly reached for the gun at my waist, moving almost too fast to see.

We fired almost simultaneously.

A sharp pain shot through me, my left shoulder burning like fire. But at the same time, I heard Alan let out a pained howl as blood began pouring from his leg. My bullet had hit his thigh.

Despite my injury, I charged forward, ramming into Alan's stomach. We wrestled in the snow, blood—mine and his—staining the white ground red. Years of training allowed me to maintain the advantage even in this situation. I landed a punch on his jaw, seizing his gun as he lost balance.

I was about to stand up when Alan refused to give up. He lunged at me, grabbing my injured shoulder and twisting hard. The pain momentarily blurred my vision, and the gun slipped from my hand into the snow.

"Louis!" Jasmine's scream reached my ears.

I staggered to my feet, but Alan, despite his wounded leg, launched a desperate charge. We grappled toward the cliff edge.

"Louis, watch out!" Jasmine screamed again.

But it was too late. Alan grabbed my injured shoulder and shoved hard. The pain made me step backward, my foot slipped, and I felt my body lose support.

I desperately clutched at rocks along the snowy edge, but they slid from my bloody fingers.

The world seemed to slow down. I saw Jasmine's face, horrified, reaching out to me, but she was too far away. Alan knelt on the ground, one hand covering his bleeding thigh, a triumphant smile flashing across his face.

"You may kill me," he gasped, "but I'll take everything you cherish."

Then, I fell.

"Louis! No!" Jasmine's screams faded as the wind rushed past my ears.

My last thought was of Jasmine. She would be okay, I told myself. She had to be. I knew the shot that hit Alan would at least slow him down, giving her a chance to escape.

Then the world went dark.

Jasmine's POV

The world stopped. Everything moved in slow motion as I watched Louis's body disappear over the edge of the cliff. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees at the cliff's edge, the rough stones cutting into my skin. I didn't feel the pain.

"No, Louis, no!" I screamed as tears blurred my vision.

I crawled forward, desperately looking over the edge. All I could see was the steep drop of jagged rock face disappearing into shadows below. No sign of him.

*This can't be happening. This can't be real.*

My entire body shook as sobs ripped through me.

"This is only the beginning, Miss Russo," Alan's voice was eerily calm. "Your father and the Mitchell family will all pay the price. Each and every one of them."

I turned slowly to face him.

"You will regret this," I said."I swear to God, you will regret ever touching him."

Alan's face twisted into a cruel smile, maybe he wasn't expecting this reaction. He wanted me broken, terrified.

Before either of us could speak again, shouts echoed from the distance.

"Is someone there?" A man's voice called out. "We heard gunshots!"

More voices joined in, and the sound of running footsteps grew louder.

"Shit," Alan muttered, his eyes darting toward the approaching voices, then back to me.

I tensed.

"We'll meet again," Alan whispered harshly. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot."

He backed up a few steps, then turned and rushed toward the parking area.