With the team assembled and ready to do the job, there was nothing to do but to start working at it, each of them tackling the specific tasks Killian had planned out for them.
Surveillance had proven to be as difficult as Smee had predicted that first day. The need to tap into the Baelfire's systems had them pulling the first of several mini-operations it would take to pull off the job. Thanks to Ursula's eyes and ears, Killian had been able to pilfer an access card from one of the technicians while he was visiting a lap dancer. Ariel and Eric had put together a diversion to cover Smee while he used the card to sneak into the server room and tapped their systems, as Milah, Liam, and Killian monitored the scene from Nemo's house. There had been a moment there where it had looked like Smee would fail - a flash of hesitation at one coded failsafe too many, but in the end the man had pulled through and they finally had eyes into Gold's system.
Power was an important piece of the puzzle. On the night of the fight, part of their success relied on being able to shut down power to the entire city. Milah gave them a cheerful smile when Liam brought it up.
"Do you want something broken, blown, or total and utter chaos?"
"What do you think?" Liam raised his eyebrows playfully and Milah erupted in laughter.
"You'll get it."
She took off into the city, ready to work her magic.
"Should I be worried?" Liam asked as he and Killian watched her slide into one of Nemo's cars.
"Not yet."
Construction was the most fun, at least as far as Liam was concerned. Their need for a practice run, or something approaching one, had them renting a couple of isolated warehouses and bringing in all sorts of materials to build out an exact replica of the Baelfire's vault. The physical exertion of hauling lumber and paint cans, the hours spent putting together shelves and tiling the floors, all of it helped Liam sharpen his mind and focus on how to tackle the next task.
Intelligence. A task that Liam would have loved to take onto himself, but couldn't. And neither could Killian, which left only one possible candidate.
"You want me to do what?" LJ didn't sound pleased and shoved a couple of boxes onto the transportation belt with a little more force than was necessary, almost hitting Henry with one of them. The kid gave LJ the finger as he spat a string of expletives, and it all looked poised to about to come to blows before Killian quickly pulled Henry aside, whispering something in his ear before coming back to his brothers.
Liam arched an eyebrow as he consulted the list he and Killian had put together, but Killian's only response was a tight, barely there shake of his head. Liam turned back to his youngest brother. "We need those codes, LJ. And there is only one person who has them all."
LJ clenched his jaw, his eyes going from Liam to Killian. "All you want me to do is watch Gold? That is the part I get to play in all of this?" His tone carried more than a hint of annoyance as his eyes narrowed.
"You have to learn the ropes, baby brother," Liam tried to explain, but clearly his words were not what LJ was expecting to hear and they only seemed to anger his brother more. He didn't understand, Killian had never been bothered by his teasing.
"For now," Killian interjected, reaching a hand out to clasp his shoulder. "There's a lot more that you'll do, but none of that will matter if we don't get those codes. You're invisible, unremarkable."
LJ grimaced. "A no one, you mean."
Killian just shook his head. "I didn't mean it that way and you know it. You are going use this to your advantage in the same way you picked pockets on the Chicago L. You know you can do this. We need you to do this… Gold would recognize either me or Liam tailing him. But not you."
"What is it with the two of you and Gold?" LJ crossed his arms, his eyes darting back and forth between them, cocking an eyebrow and waiting for an explanation.
"A tale for another day, perhaps," Liam interrupted. "Trust me, the less you know, the better for you."
LJ didn't seem convinced, picking a fleck of lint from his jacket and scowling for a few minutes. But eventually, he took off to the casino in plain jeans, a grey t-shirt and a battered hoodie, a baseball cap on his back pocket.
Transport was possibly the easiest of them all. All it took was the combination of Nemo's and Poseidon's charm and threatening looks for them to secure several vans at an incredibly reasonable price.
After that, it was time to suit up Poseidon for his role. Since he and Nemo were used to doing things with a fair bit of style, they opted out of a trip to the department store. Instead, they had a tailor come to Nemo's house to fit Poseidon for his new wardrobe.
From the back of the room, Killian and Liam watched as the tailor fitted Poseidon for a navy-blue suit, while Nemo stepped in to request several details for the lapels and vents and reviewed the available cufflink options.
Killian ran a hand over the tattoo covering his scars, a sign that he was clearly nervous. "Do you think he's ready?"
"Only one way to find out," Liam took a deep breath and made his way to where Nemo and Poseidon were still discussing fabrics.
"Poseidon," he called, his face devoid of any emotion. He loved the man, he really did, but this was business and he needed to know. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Poseidon stilled, his eyes moving from Nemo to Killian to Liam, before he plucked a fleck of lint from his suit. "Listen to me, William, because I will only say this once. I didn't do anything when I found you with my daughter under my own roof when the two of you were barely seventeen, but question me again and you will not live to see another day."
"Seriously, Liam, is this how you treat our guests? Our esteemed friend?" Nemo asked, his face the picture of disappointment. "I've taught both of you better than this. Now go keep an eye on your younger brother and leave us to work in peace. We don't need you as our babysitters."
Well, it seemed the man was as ready as he'll ever be, and Nemo was back to his old self. From the corner of his eye, he watched Killian cover a laugh before they both took off.
Forty-eight hours later, Isaiah Hamid made his entrance into the Baelfire, walking in as if he owned the place, his bodyguard and personal assistant in tow. The latter's green pencil skirt and black blouse projected the image of professionalism, as she brandished a clipboard while her stilettos tapped out a staccato beat against the floor. From behind a pillar, Liam and Killian watched as Ariel manhandled and bossed everyone around until she got Poseidon checked into one of the best suites of the hotel and caused enough noise to stir the attention of the floor manager.
Gold would soon know that a new high roller had entered his casino.
Liam relaxed his shoulders and released some of the tension he'd been holding onto from the moment he found Killian and started to set this plan in motion. They've now rolled the dice, the cards had been dealt, and the ball was rolling on the roulette wheel. The game had started.
He could now focus on the real task at hand.
/-/
He met Ursula at one of the few corners on the floor they knew the cameras didn't cover. The casino was right in the middle of guard rotations, and her eyes darted back and forth as she paid careful attention to their movements.
"I can't stay long, otherwise it will raise suspicions." She leaned into him. "Room A2345. It's one of the penthouses. You'll need this to activate the elevator." She slid an access card into his jacket pocket. "Little to no security after that."
Liam pocketed the card and flashed her a smile. "Thank you."
"They've already dined. He's working the floors and the high rollers, and she's already retired to her room. He won't join her tonight. It's a Tuesday; he stays up late reviewing the books and sleeps in his own penthouse."
He had been counting on that, it would give him the time he needed. "I better get going. The guards will be back any minute."
She squeezed his arm, her concern clear in her eyes. "Liam, you're playing with fire."
"I know, but this is something I have to do."
She smiled ruefully. "I know, just be careful."
He nodded before making his way to the elevator, feigning nonchalance while he carefully monitored the activity around him. It was only when he was finally alone on the elevator that he began to relax again. But the feeling was fleeting, the tension creeping back into his shoulders as he stepped out onto the foyer. The space screamed luxury, with the black lacquered floors partially covered by geometrical themed rugs and a black and white side table that hosted a green vase with fresh white calla lilies. With his heart beating frantically in his chest, Liam took two steps towards the glass paneled door that would lead him into the actual penthouse. It didn't have a lock and it served more as a decoration than anything else. With a final deep breath, he simply pulled into the door and entered the room.
It took him a moment to find her, but when he did -standing by the long windows that showed an amazing view of the city he called his home -, she looked as beautiful as he'd remembered her. Her dark hair was down and falling in soft waves around her shoulders and she wore flannel shorts and a white shirt.
He knew that shirt.
He smiled as he closed the door, making sure to not turn the handle so that the soft click was audible. Belle turned at the sound, and her eyes widened in surprise.
"Liam?" Belle all but choked as she took two steps in his direction before she stopped. "What are you doing here?"
"Did you miss me?" He shrugged, curling his mouth up into the smirk he knew used to drive her right into his arms.
Only it didn't this time. She crossed her arms across her chest. "Get out before I call security."
"It would land me back in jail for violation of parole. You wouldn't do that to me."
She averted her eyes, turning her head to the side. "Don't be so sure…" she mumbled the words, her lips twisting to the side in a way he'd always found endearing. She was pissed off at him, and reasonably so.
"Belle." He took a few steps her way, his fingers aching to touch her. "I came for you."
She scoffed, backing up and twisting her elbow to the side to avoid his touch, her arms resting to her side. "You came for money. You're probably already planning something with Killian, if you've been able to pull him away from his self-imposed misery in L.A., that is."
"You've kept tabs on my brother?" Liam paused. Killian hadn't mentioned Belle since they met up again, and he hadn't wanted to tip his brother off that he knew about her whereabouts.
"Someone had to make sure he wasn't going to fall apart," she crossed her arms against her chest, leveling down her eyes at him, a hint of accusation in her voice that struck deep in him. "He doesn't know. Nobody knows."
Liam swallowed. "Thank you."
"I didn't do it for you," she started and he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well, not just for you." She sighed fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Liam, it's late and you being here is highly inappropriate. Whatever it is that you're here for, you and I both know it's more about the thrill of the heist than anything to do with me."
He fought against the ache her words provoked, masking his wince. "That's not true and you know it. You wouldn't be wearing my shirt if not."
"Fine. You want your shirt back?" She slipped her arms through the sleeves, and tugged at the hem and pulled the shift over her head, tossing it at him when she was done. "It's all yours."
The shirt hit him square in the face and landed on the floor, because it was all he could do to not drop his jaw at the sight in front of him - her blue lace bra, the miles of ivory skin he'd missed so much, the start of a smile that quirked at the corner of her mouth. His blood heated and before he knew what he was doing, he'd reached for her hand, interlacing his fingers with her.
"You deserve better than Gold, Belle. He's not a good man."
She took a step towards him, her eyes flashing with defiance. "And you are?"
He lifted his free hand to trace along her cheek. "You're right. I'm a con man, a thief and a liar… but I love you."
Her eyes filled with tears and he wanted to dry every single one of them with his lips. "Damn you, Liam." She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, crashing her lips into his.
Time stopped. His brain lost all ability think about anything but how her mouth moved against his, her lips parting and her tongue darting out to lick his lip. He was a goner. Same as he'd been from the first time she'd let him kiss her, he was done for. His hands rested possessively on her hips and he pulled her to him, dragging their bodies flush against one another from chest to knees. She still fit against him perfectly, her curves molding to his hard edges, her hips falling into place as she slowly ground against him.
Groaning, he moved his hands towards her ass, his fingers toying with the elastic band of her shorts and moving underneath the flannel to caress her. Belle moaned against his mouth, trailing kisses down his jaw, threading her fingers in his hair, and hooking her leg around his hip. He felt the painstakingly beautiful ache of rutting against her core, the fabric adding some extra friction that made him feel like they were twenty-two again, stealing kisses and groping one another in the backseat of his car.
Without hesitation, he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the suite's bedroom. A massive, king-size bed sat in the middle of the room, the moonlight reflecting along the sheets. Carefully, he placed Belle on the bed, moving himself to hover over her, kissing her fiercely and reaching to unclasp her bra as she unbuttoned his shirt.
Yes, Liam was going to fuck his own wife in Gold's hotel room, over the man's expensive sheets and designer bed frames. He couldn't begin to give a bloody damn about it. He'd been dreaming about this, aching to be with her again. It'd been two long years in a jail cell with nothing but his hand and the memory of her scent.
He finally removed her shorts and underwear and reached to place a lingering kiss on her inner thigh. The familiar sounds she made felt like being home again, when it was just the two of them, recently married and locked in their bedroom for an entire rainy weekend. Desperate to hear her moan again, he reached to lick her, his fingers stroking her the way he knew she liked. She arched her back and her hips met his movements, gasping, her thighs squeezing his head as she came against his mouth.
She reached for him, fisting his hair and pulling him up for a kiss. In a haze of lust, she'd unzipped his pants and removed his cock from his briefs, stroking and positioning him against her entrance. He slid in with a swift thrust, groaning at her tight heat. He wasn't going to last long and he knew it, not after this long apart. He moved slowly, savoring each moment until it became too much and he set to increase the pace, reaching to stroke her so she'd fall with him.
Spent, sated, and still almost fully dressed, he rested his forehead against hers, careful not to crush her under his weight.
"I've missed you, doll."
"I'm still angry at you Liam." Her voice quivered and he pulled away to level his eyes with hers.
"You have a fun way of showing it."
She pulled away, reaching for her clothes. "This… this was a goodbye. Closure."
"Belle, please, give me a chance to explain."
"It's too late. I'm with someone else now." She stood at the edge of the bed, her eyes not meeting his. "You should leave."
He put his clothes in order and ran a hand through his hair, fighting the urge to reach for her again. "I will, for now. But it's not over between you and me. And you know it."
He couldn't stand her not meeting his eyes. It cut him to his core and his heart was in shambles as he quickly made to exit her room. He shook his head as he pulled the door to her suite closed. This was not how things would end between them. No matter what it took, he was going to win Belle back.
/-/
"I don't need a babysitter, you know?" LJ all but spat the words, speaking out of the corner of his mouth. He was lurking in the casino's ground floor, and for the third consecutive day, Killian had shown up to stand by his side.
Killian sighed as he played with his cufflinks. "Would you believe me if I told you that I'm only here for the air conditioning? I swear, the heat out there is unbearable."
LJ shot him a look. "Nemo has better AC than this place. Plus a pool with a shaded patio."
He smirked and avoided his brother's eyes. What could he say? He wasn't keeping tabs on the kid, not in the strictest sense. It wasn't like he didn't think LJ could do the job, he knew he could. He'd been superb at it. It was just… Killian liked his younger brother. A lot. He simply wanted to know more about LJ's life. For instance, if there were any special girls he needed counsel about. Or what about if he was considering investing his money in any endeavors and perhaps Killian could point out a few places, something safe that wouldn't ask too many questions.
Killian simply wanted to be part of his brother's life. He just didn't know how to tell him that, blurting it out before he could think better of it.
"Would you believe that I want to spend time with you?" Gods, the vulnerability in his own voice made him cringe but there it was now, all out on the table, no chance to take the words back. Surprised at his own nervousness, he met his brother's widened eyes and held his stare.
Finally, LJ swallowed and gave Killian a hint of a smile. "I've been talking to Nemo. He has some interesting stories about you and Liam."
There it was, the tiniest of offerings, and Killian was going to take it. "I can only imagine what tales he's been weaving. Don't believe a word of what he said."
"So he didn't take you in off the streets?" LJ cocked an eyebrow at him, his eyes flashing daringly.
Killian swallowed, running a hand across the back of his neck in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "That he did. When he found us, we were nothing but two street rats, surviving off of petty thefts and food scraps. He caught us trying to play a con on him - I was supposed to be distracting him in order to give Liam the opportunity to pilfer his wallet. He took one look at us and I thought 'this is it, this is where we end up caught and put in the system. This is where we end up separated.' But he only motioned for us to follow him. He bought dinner and rented a hotel room for us. Then he gave us some cash, telling us to get some clothes and get out arses to school." The memories of those days were painful, the dread and fear of having the police find them, the hesitation about whether or not they could trust Nemo. He seemed like a good man, but Liam and Killian had seen a lot in their short lifespan and knew enough to know that you should always beware of nice strangers. "It took a lot of coaxing on his part to get us to trust him, and when we finally did, when Liam let his guard down and let Nemo take us to his home, it was as if we'd been given a second chance."
"Or a first."
There was such sadness in LJ's voice that it broke Killian's heart.
"We didn't know about you, LJ. If we had, believe me, we would have come for you."
"You think Nemo would have taken me in?" The tinge of hope in his voice all but made Killian want to pull him into a hug in the middle of that casino, promising his brother that he'd never be alone again. But they were not lads, they were men on a mission, and he knew LJ wouldn't appreciate his cover being blown by an overeager half-brother.
"In a heartbeat." Killian's eyes scanned the casino, giving him and LJ some time to check themselves. People came and went around them, their emotions clear on their faces and in their movements as they passed - some had won, some had lost, some of them were drunkenly making out, while others were clearly partaking in illicit affairs. Las Vegas had it all, and for such a long time he had watched things like this and more take place on the floor of another casino floor, one that had been the closest he'd had to a home.
Until Gold had taken it all away from the man who Killian would give his life for.
"I have to thank you," Killian said, his eyes coming back to LJ's.
His brother furrowed his brows. "Thank me? For what? I haven't done much to help anyone around here."
"Nemo is fond of you. Somehow having you around and having the chance to relive stories of the past have lifted his spirits. He's been more himself than he has been in the past eight months."
"Since Gold tore down his casino."
"Aye."
"Is that why you're going after Gold?"
Killian knew that Liam didn't want LJ to know the truth, but he could at least tell the lad pieces of it. "Part of it, aye. The Nautilus was Nemo's pride and joy and the way Gold tricked, lied, and plotted to strip it from him… it was bad form."
"Agreed." The throaty hitch in his brother's voice hinted at a fierce need of revenge all its own. Killian almost had to wonder about that. "But you guys picked one hell of a target. He's smart, ruthless, cunning, and most of all, vengeful. If he finds out about this, he'll go after you and everyone you know. No one will be safe."
Killian winced, playing his fingers along the scars on his left arm, his memories haunting him. LJ's eyes widened, and Killian knew he was putting two and two together.
"But you already know this, don't you? Nemo is…"
"Nemo is the last in a long list of very well-devised revenge plots that Gold has executed, yes." Killian lifted his hand before LJ could ask. "And I don't want to talk more about it, little brother. At least not right now."
For a moment, he thought LJ would argue and demand to know all the painful details that Killian didn't want to relive. But to his surprise, he dropped the subject and refocused himself to the task at hand.
"Then we need to be smarter than he is. It won't be easy, the guy doesn't miss a step. He's always where he's supposed to be, never lets his guard down. There is nothing that happens in this casino that he doesn't know about. Getting him out of his very well-crafted and well-worn loop is going to be hard."
LJ paused as he turned his attention to the floor once again and a small smile came to his lips. "But maybe I just I found the loophole Smee was looking for."
Killian tilted his head and gave his brother a proud smile. "I'm listening."
"There is extra security planned for the match night, but Gold has kept the details very much under wraps. Word is that he is bringing in someone unknown, someone who is cutting a deal with him not just for money, but for a favor. This person seems to be desperate for something only Gold can give, and willing to do anything to get it." LJ craned his neck to the side, nodding his head imperceptibly towards the other side of the floor. "It took me a while, but I was able to finally track her down. She's almost invisible, a shadow, which is funny because she's so beautiful that it is a miracle she goes unnoticed."
"A woman?" Killian turned his eyes into the direction LJ had indicated and scanned the room.
"10 o'clock. Blonde hair, red leather jacket-"
LJ kept talking, but Killian had stopped listening, his heart skipping two beats and his blood running cold. Everything around him froze and the room went silent. All he could see was the woman who had plagued his dreams for the last few years. The one woman who had once had him considering spending more than just a few nights and days with. The woman he had had to screw over and leave alone in the middle of the night in order to save himself from a jail sentence.
The woman who had forever changed - forever ruined - Tuscany for him.
LJ's voice played in his ear like a muffled dream. "Her name is-"
"Emma Swan," he whispered. And it like her name falling from his lips called her to him, because at that moment she started to turn her head towards him. Quickly, Killian pivoted on his heels and stepped behind a column.
"You know her?" LJ asked.
"Aye."
"Can we use her?"
"Not if I want to make it out of this with all my appendages intact." Clearing his throat, he risked a glance Emma's way. She was gone. Killian sighed in relief and met LJ's inquisitive eyes. "Listen, do not tell anyone about this. Not yet. I need some time to think."
LJ hesitated, and Killian pressed on desperately, "Please, brother."
"Fine." LJ sighed. "But I'm giving you just two days. After that, I'm telling the others."
/-/
He shouldn't be here. He knew it. LJ knew it. Pretty much everyone else would have said the same if they knew where he was. But alas, Killian Jones was a sucker for punishment.
The moment he found out about Emma's involvement with Gold he couldn't help but become her second shadow. Something his little brother was all too eager to point out each time he found Killian lounging inconspicuously in the casino lobby.
"You know, you keep claiming that she'd gut you alive if she finds you, and yet here you are, watching her every move."
"She's a key player in the casino's security, we need to know her every move." Killian ran a hand across the back of his neck, feeling the slick sweat that had gathered there on his walk over to the casino. The day had been particularly humid, and he hated it. While the casino's artificial lights and smoke-filled air might be overbearing, at least it had a killer refrigeration. He'd take comfort in that minor detail.
"I thought that was why I was here, withering under these terrible lights and lack of fresh air," LJ pointed out, his eyes scanning the casino as if it were a dungeon.
Well, LJ clearly had the Jones flair for dramatics. Killian ignored him, once again turning his attention back to the floor, searching for any sign of Emma. She'd been by the casino each of the last two days, locked up in one of Gold's private rooms doing gods-knew-what. He needed to know what she was doing. What was she in charge of securing? What secrets was Gold looking to protect?
"Are you going to tell me what your deal is with her?" LJ kept his tone professional, but there was no mistaking the clench of his jaw or the way he studiously avoided Killian's eyes. Killian knew he needed to tell him, that it was important that his brother understood he belonged here and that Killian trusted him.
"Have you heard anything about my Tuscany - er - situation?"
"You mean when you hooked up with the bounty hunter who was sent after you, and you had to escape your room while half naked in the middle of the night?"
He winced, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Of course people would have felt the need to embellish the tale a little. He would have done the same after all. "I wasn't half naked and it was not in the middle of the night, but yes, that might be a decent summary."
LJ's eyes widened as he finally put two and two together. "No way! Emma Swan was that bounty hunter?"
He finally spotted her and he shifted so she wouldn't catch a glimpse of him, but he continued to track her every moment. She'd swapped the red leather jacket for a grey sweater, her hair in a high ponytail that left a few tendrils falling along her cheeks. Her jeans molded to her legs, reminding him of how well acquainted he'd once been with each of their curves. He moved instinctively towards her, almost blowing his cover before LJ darted out a hand to stop him.
"Are you fucking suicidal, Killian?"
Killian frowned. "Only when it comes to her."
He didn't know what he was thinking. He'd come here to lay low, let his latest hiccup blow over and he then could come out of hiding and be left in peace. Not for the first time, he'd wondered about his streak of bad luck.
He couldn't fool himself anymore about whether or not someone was out to get him. He scratched along his scars absentmindedly. The tattoos he'd just gotten were a good cover for the worst of the scarring, and he was glad that he'd gotten them. Granted, they now meant he had a traceable mark about him, but he'd learn to work around that.
Killian finished off his beer in two gulps and ordered another one, his mind still retracing each step from his last heist, focused on figuring out what exactly went wrong. Nothing stood out, which only left one possibility - he'd been sold out.
And he knew exactly who had enough money, power, and interest in seeing him brought down.
Suddenly, though, all his worries faded as his attention was pulled to the woman who had. walked into the little trattoria. She was breathtaking, all blonde hair and green eyes. And her legs, miles of them packed in tight jeans that caused his fingers to itch in want. But it was the no-nonsense attitude in her movements that had his skin warming and his body reminding him he was flesh - heated flesh - after all.
He wanted her.
Knowing he probably shouldn't, he approached her anyway. She didn't buy half of his lines - and he liked her all the more for it - but finally he won her over. Better said, she conquered him, making him fall head over heels in lust - and then something more - with her. The nights they had together had been passionate, the meeting of their heated bodies reaching one mindblowing orgasm after another, but it was their days that he'd treasure in his memory forever. The Tuscan sun shining on her hair, bringing a delicious tan to her skin, her straw hat failing to prevent a million freckles from showing up across her cheeks. Their lazy afternoons under the shade of a tree, eating cheese, fruits, and cured meats washed down with wine. It was as if they were the leads of a romantic movie in which there was no conflict, and no worries. He'd been so unguarded with her. He hadn't felt the need to lie about his name. His trade had remained a secret, he'd left it at a vague claim of being a businessman and though she eyed him suspiciously, she'd been vague about her job as well.
It all suited him just fine, because as much as he wanted more with her, it clearly couldn't be at the moment, not when he still had to deal with the aftermath of his failed heist and the bounty hunters he knew they were sending his way. He wouldn't drag her into it, or worse, make a target out of her.
He knew their time was limited, and he set out to make the best of it, living each moment to the fullest and giving himself to her as much as he could. He was the body she took pleasure in, the shoulder she'd cried on about her difficult life, and the chest into which she whispered her need to uncover a secret from her past.
What he didn't know, not until that damn envelope arrived at the room, was that for all that he'd been looking to cover his back, he hadn't seen what was right in front of him.
His picture, his profile, his name were in that envelope. She was the bounty hunter and he was her prey.
As he quickly gathered his belongings and prepared himself to run, he still had wished he could stay. But even if he turned himself in, he knew she'd never believed he didn't know who she was from the start. She would never believe that he hadn't been taking her for a fool…
So Killian Jones walked away, leaving his heart behind with her in that hotel room.
He'd been so caught up in his memories - the same ones he used to relive every night and now was reliving every minute - that he hadn't realized that he lost sight of her.
"Bloody hell." Ignoring LJ's objections, Killian quickly made his way towards the last place he'd seen Emma, his eyes scanning everywhere for her.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ursula's confused look before she quickly masked her features. He could also see Ariel and Eric together, tracking down exit routes and calculating time.
Everyone was where they needed to be, doing what they needed to be doing. Everyone, that was, but him. He should be back in the warehouse building that blasted vault copy, and yet here he was looking for her.
Killian knew he had to walk away, that blowing his cover and having Emma spot him would have terrible consequences, and yet he still was looking for her. Desperate, he made his way to the back of the lobby, heading towards the exit that connected most closely to the back alley.
That's when he felt a hand grabbing his shirt and pulled him towards a narrow corridor hidden at the very end of the building. His head hit the wall, his eyes closing at the impact and he felt the cold edge of a blade slide along his throat.
"Looking for me, Jones?" He opened his eyes to find Emma Swan's green eyes glaring back at him.