Stolen Hearts

Chapter 11: A Gamble for Freedom

The next morning arrived with a tense sense of urgency. Killian and Graham had worked tirelessly through the early hours, scouring every corner of their finances to gather the bail money. The final amount was staggering, but somehow, they'd managed to scrape together just enough to set their plan in motion. With the money pooled and the paperwork hastily completed, they turned it all in, barely catching their breath as they watched the process unfold. It was a gamble, a risky bet on a woman caught in the crossfire of forces far beyond her control.

Now, with the paperwork approved and the bail officially posted, Killian found himself standing outside the prison, his heart heavy with a mix of anticipation and dread. He leaned back against his car, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he stared at the imposing building in front of him. The morning was cool, a sharp breeze cutting through the air, but he hardly noticed. His mind was elsewhere, running over the events of the past few days and the sacrifices they had made to reach this moment.

There was also the bitter reminder of what he had lost this morning. His captain had summoned him into the office and demanded he turn in his badge and gun. The weight of his badge, something that had been a symbol of his dedication to justice, now felt like a burden as he placed it on the captain's desk. But Killian had another gun, one he kept at home, a reminder of his past and the life he led before the badge. It was a small comfort, but it was enough to make him feel not entirely powerless.

As he waited, the minutes seemed to stretch into eternity, each passing second adding to the knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. He was used to being in control, to having the upper hand, but today he felt vulnerable, exposed in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. The stakes were higher than ever, and he could only hope that he and Graham had made the right call.

Finally, the sound of the gate opening snapped him out of his thoughts. He straightened up, his eyes narrowing as he watched the figure stepping through the gate. Emma Swan, dressed in the same clothes she had been arrested in, looked around, her face a mask of confusion and wariness. She hadn't expected to see daylight again so soon, and the sight of freedom seemed almost surreal to her. But what caught her off guard even more was the sight of the man waiting for her on the other side of the gate.

"You?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief as she slowly made her way toward him. Her steps were hesitant, each one feeling like she was walking toward something she couldn't fully comprehend. The man who had been questioning her, who had put her through the wringer just days ago, now stood before her, seemingly as her savior.

Killian nodded, offering a small, almost sheepish smile as he took in her bewildered expression. "Me and Graham," he clarified, his voice steady as he uncrossed his arms and stood a little straighter. "We pooled our money together."

Emma stopped a few feet away from him, her gaze searching his face as if trying to find some hidden motive. "Why?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Why go through all this trouble for me?"

For a moment, Killian hesitated, searching for the right words. How could he explain everything he was feeling? The need to protect her, the desire to see justice done, and the echoes of his past kept pulling him back to this case. "Because you don't deserve to be in there," he finally said, his voice carrying a note of conviction. "You're caught up in something bigger than you, and if we don't get you out, you won't stand a chance. We need to find out the truth, and you can't do that from inside those walls."

Emma looked at him, trying to process his words. She had spent so much of her life fighting alone, trusting no one, and here was this man, offering her something she wasn't sure she could believe in—help, safety, and a way out. "And what do you get out of it?" she asked, her voice quieter now, the edge of suspicion still present but softened.