This was in the fic actually.

*****

~Flashback~
Twelve Years Ago

Gold grimaced at the loud music and the flashing lights. He hated visiting The Rabbit Hole, it wasn’t his kind of place at all. If he was going to a bar, he preferred somewhere quieter, where the pace wasn’t quite so frenetic. However, occasionally Jefferson liked Gold to deliver his credit payment in person and unfortunately Jefferson found it amusing to keep him waiting.

“Hit me again!” A young woman slammed her empty shot glass down onto the bar and stumbled heavily against Gold. “Oh sorry,” she mumbled. Her eyes raked him up and down, and she smirked. “Or perhaps not.”

“This one’s on me,” Gold instructed the barman, allowing his eyes to do some roving of their own.

The young woman was beautiful, scantily clad in a tight sequined blue dress which barely reached past the top of her thighs. Her chestnut hair was messily tied back, curls coming loose and tickling her neck. The dress matched her brilliant blue eyes and then there was that accent, Gold felt his mouth go dry.

“Lacey Beaumont,” Lacey offered, knocking back the shot he had just bought her. She winked at him. “Thanks for the drink.”

“Julian Gold, the pleasures all mine,” Gold murmured.

Lacey leaned against him, her hand tracing down his side until it reached his arse. She squeezed and laughed throatily. Gold swallowed hard, the air felt heavy, supercharged with all the sparks that were flying. Lacey’s eyes were bright and looking at him with obvious interest. This sort of thing didn’t usually happen to him, and for once Gold decided to just enjoy it.

Her hot breath ghosted over his neck, up to his ear, which she tugged on playfully with her teeth. Gold groaned and Lacey laughed again, pressing against him completely now. His arm wrapped round her loosely, so she could still pull back if she wished, his fingers falling tantalizingly close to her left breast.

“What do you say we get out of here?” Lacey whispered.

Gold’s eyes caught Jefferson’s to the back of the bar. Jefferson smirked and gave him a thumbs up, gesturing with his hand for him to leave.

“Why not indeed?” Gold smiled.

Lacey’s hand grabbed his and he allowed her to pull him out of the bar.

~Flashback~

That night at the bar, he had thought that she would just be a one-night stand. However, they kept falling into bed together. Without him really even noticing, they transitioned from ‘just sex’ to a real relationship. Lacey had changed too, her outfits became more demure and she shed her brash barfly personality.

Gold sipped his coffee, taking a deep breath and inhaling the reassuring smell. He remembered the day he had caught her reading on the e-Tab. She had been startled and tried to play it off as her being bored. However, he hadn’t bought it and they had wound up having a rousing discussion about books. Her previously hidden intelligence had completely entranced him.

If he was honest, he thought that was when he had truly fallen in love with her. He had been able to tell that she was hiding a lot but he had thought that she was just afraid. She had mentioned an ex-boyfriend once. Gold snorted, he had wanted to protect her, hold her close and keep her safe. He had showed her acceptance, waiting until she was ready. In turn, she showed him her warmth and her kindness.

He had fallen deeply in love. They had been happy. It had all been a lie.