Note: Thanks for your responses to the last part! Hope you enjoy this part. ~Steph

…The Con: Part 7/9...

Rule #7: Never tell the truth. The truth is your enemy.

Liam smiled at his brother when he opened the door. "Good to see you again, brother. Come in."

Killian entered his brother's apartment, smiling at his wife and son who sat on the couch.

Lisa stood to embrace Killian. "It's been too long."

"Aye, that it has," he said.

Liam joined them as they sat down, taking his son onto his lap. "Seamus, this is your Uncle Killian."

Killian smiled at the little boy, whose blue eyes danced in delight. "Well, aren't you a handsome lad."

Seamus held out his arms and Killian slowly took the boy onto his lap. Liam smiled at the sight.

"I am so glad you two finally got a chance to meet."

"As am I," Killian said, as Seamus grabbed at the chains around his neck and attempted to put them in his mouth.

Liam eyed his little brother, sensing something was wrong. "As much as I am enjoying having you here, brother, I can tell something is bothering you."

Killian looked at Lisa, who understood that they wanted their privacy. She took Seamus from Killian. "It's time for this little guy's nap," she said, as she headed down the hall.

Killian smiled as he watched them go. "You really do have it all, don't you?"

Liam nodded. "I do. Now are you going to tell me what's on your mind or are you going to make me guess?"

Killian licked at his lips nervously. "I decided I was going to tell Emma I love her and want to be with her. I decided that I was going to go straight. I decided I was going to tell her the truth."

"That's great, Killian."

"We spent a wonderful day at the beach and I told her I loved her. She returned the sentiment. When we got back to her place, I tried to tell her the truth, but she kept saying how much she trusted me and how hard it was after what happened with her fiancé."

Liam nodded. "And you lost your nerve."

"Aye. I kept thinking about what Robin said. He told me I would lose her if I told her the truth."

Liam sighed. "I won't lie to you, Killian. You may very well lose Emma if you tell her the truth."

Killian's chest deflated. "I was afraid you might say that."

"But consider the alternative. Let's say you marry this lass. This will always be hanging over your head. You will live in constant fear wondering if she'll learn the truth, when it will happen. That's no way to live. You can't build a happy life like that."

"I can't imagine my life without her, Liam."

"The truth always has a way of coming out. It's best if she hears it from you and soon. If Emma truly loves you and you are meant to be, then she will forgive you, Killian. You have to trust in that."

Killian nodded, as he gestured with his hand. "I want what you have, brother. I want an honest job and a wife and a child."

"I want that for you too, Killian. And the first step to getting those things is telling Emma the truth, no matter how hard it may be."

Killian nodded. His brother was right. He didn't have a choice. He had to tell Emma.

…

"Emma! Emma!" Belle called, as she knocked on her best friend's door. "Are you okay? You ran out of work without so much as a word."

Emma sat on the couch in her apartment, as she wiped at her face with the back of her hand. After she learned the truth about Killian, she had fled her office and run home. She'd been crying for the last hour, running every word Killian had ever said to her through her mind, replaying every interaction they'd ever had. She hated feeling like this. She hated being this woman who could let a man reduce her to tears.

Slowly, she stood up from the couch and opened the door. Belle's mouth dropped open at the sight of Emma's red rimmed eyes.

"Oh my God. What happened?"

Emma closed the door behind her and the two sat down on the couch.

"It's Killian."

"Did he break up with you?"

Emma shook her head. "Worse."

"What's worse than that?"

"He's been lying to me from the start," Emma said.

Belle shook her head. "What do you mean?"

Emma swallowed roughly, her throat beginning to burn as she blinked back tears. "It was all a scam to get my money and information about my clients. It was all lies."

Belle's brow furrowed in confusion. "Start from the beginning."

"When I came into work this morning, I noticed that there was a breach alert on my computer. The fail safe worked so no information was lost, but the camera caught the perpetrator."

"It was Killian?"

Emma shook her head. "No, it was Robin, his business partner. He didn't look like the man we met though. He looked like the man who bumped into me at the gala. I realized it was the same person. The whole thing was a set-up. Him spilling his drink, Killian coming to the rescue, our interaction outside the bathroom. They came here seeking my professional services as a way in and then Killian did the rest. He made me fall in love with him."

Belle placed her hand over Emma's. "I am so sorry."

Emma swiped at a tear on her cheek. "I can't believe this is happening again. Three years I waited, scared to open myself up again to love, to trust another man after what Neal did to me. And then Killian came along and he said all the right things, he did all the right things. I felt myself falling for him and trusting him. But you were right from the start. I took things too fast and I couldn't see what was right in front of me. I'm such a fool."

"Hey, you are not a fool. He's a con artist. They know exactly what to say and do." Belle paused and continued reluctantly. "But, Emma, are you sure Killian's feelings for you aren't real? I've seen you two together. I've seen the way he looks at you. I'm not sure anyone is that good of an actor."

Emma shrugged. "It was all based on lies, Belle. How could he love me and do this? Yesterday, we had this amazing day at the beach and he told me he loved me. I said it back to him and I was so happy. We went to dinner afterwards and do you know what was happening while we were eating? Robin was breaking into my computer."

Belle took a deep breath. "I think you need to speak to Killian."

Emma shook her head. "I don't know how I am supposed to face him. I'm not sure I want to hear a word he has to say."

…

Killian stood at Emma's office door, trying to gain the courage to knock. He had thought about calling ahead to let her know he'd be coming, but decided against it.

Emma was thrown from her thoughts by the knock at the door.

"Come in," she said.

Her head whipped in its direction as the door opened, her gaze landing on Killian. The sight of him always brought a smile to her face, but now she felt her lips turn downward.

"Good morning, love," he said, as he entered her office.

She was surprised to see him. She had planned on arranging a meeting between them at a public place. She didn't trust herself to confront him in private and not lose complete control. But now here he was at her place of business. She figured this was happening now.

She stood up and came to stand in front of him. He attempted to place a kiss to her lips, but she sidestepped him. Killian's brow furrowed. He noticed the coldness in her eyes and the lack of warmth in her expression.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and leveled him with a glare. "I don't know. Would you be okay if you just found out the person you love has been lying to you from the start? That he targeted you so he could steal from you? Would you be okay, Killian? If that's even your real name."

Killian's eyes grew wide. She knew the truth. He felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"How did you find out?" he asked weakly.

Emma smiled bitterly. "Seems your friend Robin wasn't too careful the other night. He tripped a breach alert on my computer and his face was caught on my camera. I realized he was the same man from the gala." She paused and asked, "Just out of curiosity, how did you get past the swipe on the doors?"

Killian dropped his eyes. "I stole your swipe from your filing cabinet in your office at home."

Emma felt her jaw clench. "When you showed up early for our date."

"Aye, then I handed it off to Robin at the zoo. He made a copy and handed it back off to me while we were still there."

Emma shook her head. "And here I was thinking we were sharing a nice day together doing something we both liked it."

"We did. This doesn't change that. It doesn't change the moments we shared, Emma."

"It changes everything," she said sharply.

Killian swallowed hard. "Please just hear me out," he said.

Emma placed her hands on her hips. "Why? So you can tell me more lies?"

Killian shook his head. "I am so sorry I hurt you, Emma. But I need you to believe that my feelings for you were true. That what we had, what we shared was real."

Emma laughed caustically. "Real? It was all designed for you to manipulate me, get me to let my guard down."

"It wasn't like that, Emma. The things I shared about myself were real."

"Oh, so Cheetos really are your favorite snack and you love watching true crime shows? You go to Granny's all the time and always order grilled cheese and onion rings?"

Killian bowed his head, his eyes lowering. "I was given that information so I could try to bond with you. So you would think we had things in common."

"And the things you told me about your life. I assume those were all lies too. You lost your family, you were cheated on."

Killian shook his head, his voice growing desperate. "No, Emma, I told you the truth about those parts of my life."

"Why should I believe you?"

Killian attempted to take her hands in his, but she pulled away.

"Don't touch me," she said coldly.

Killian felt his chest tighten. "Please just listen to what I have to say."

"Fine. Start talking," she replied.

Killian licked at his lips nervously. "I saw your picture in the newspaper and I was drawn to you right away."

"You were drawn to my money."

"I was drawn to you. I think I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you. Robin didn't want to make you our next mark. He said it was too risky since you owned a security firm and did private investigation, but I insisted. I knew I had to meet you."

"So you came up with the plan to rescue a damsel in distress."

Killian shook his head. "I wasn't supposed to intervene. I was supposed to meet you at the bathroom, but I just couldn't wait. And when I did, I was so taken by you I accidentally gave you my real name."

"So you really are Killian Jones."

"Aye."

A part of Emma felt relieved to know this much of him was real.

Killian took a deep breath. "We decided to ask for your services as our way in, but, Emma, I couldn't stop thinking about you from the start. I wanted to spend every moment I could with you and I didn't care about the operation. When I learned you only use your money for charities and your foundation, I convinced Robin that we should leave it alone."

"Am I supposed to thank you for not stealing from me?"

Killian shook his head. "Of course not. Emma, the more I got to know you, the more I fell in love with you. I decided to call the whole operation off."

"Then why was my computer breached?"

"That was Robin. He went against my wishes to try to steal your client information."

"How do I know this isn't just another lie?"

Killian stepped closer to her and met her eyes. "Because I had also told Robin that I was done with this life. That I wanted to go straight for you."

For the first time since he entered her office, Emma felt him affecting her. She swallowed hard. "You did?"

Killian nodded, a small smile on his lips. "I did. Emma, I told you I love you because it's how I feel. And when we got back to your place I tried to tell you everything, the whole truth."

Emma thought back to that night. He had tried to tell her something.

"But I kept interrupting you," she said softly.

Killian nodded. "You kept saying how much you trusted me and opened your heart for the first time after Neal...and I lost my nerve. I was fearful of losing you."

"And then I learned the truth on my own. If I hadn't God knows how long I would have played the fool."

"You're not a fool. I am. But I came here today to tell you the truth, Emma. I promise you."

Emma blinked back tears. "You'll have to excuse me if your promises don't mean much." She shook her head sharply. "You listened to me talk about Neal and doubting myself, not being able to trust. And all along you knew you were doing the same thing!"

Killian couldn't stand to look at the pain in her eyes. "I am so sorry. But you need to know that I truly love you, Emma. I never thought I could be anything more than a con man, but you made me believe I could be. I don't want this life. I only want you."

Emma looked into his eyes. He seemed so sincere, but she just didn't know if she could believe him.

"Well, I don't want you," she replied coldly. "Not anymore."

Killian felt his heart drop into his chest. "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do," she said softly. "I don't know who you are. You don't truly love me. How could you love me and do what you did to me? No, I fell in love with an illusion. I fell in love with a man who doesn't exist."

Killian shook his head and brought his hand up to her cheek. He expected her to move away from his touch, but she didn't.

"You know the real me, Emma. Every important moment we shared was real. I know I don't deserve you and I would understand if you can't forgive me, but I need you to believe that the love I feel for you is true."

Emma shook her head and moved away from him, as his hand dropped away. "Even if I could find a way to forgive you, Killian, I could never trust you."

"Emma," he whispered.

She moved her eyes to the ground. "I never want to see you again."

Killian felt the air leave his lungs. His worst fear had come true. He had lost her.

"Emma," he said, desperation in his voice. "I came here today to tell you the truth, knowing I could lose you. Knowing that you could send me to jail if you wished to. Would I risk that if I didn't truly love you?"

Emma blinked back the tears burning her eyes. "Get out," she said as calmly as she could manage.

Killian stood frozen to his spot for a few long moments before turning on his heel and walking out the door. Emma slammed the door behind him and then leaned up against it. She felt her tears come in full force as she squeezed her eyes closed.

…

End of Part 7

Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate any feedback you'd like to give. ~Steph