Page 130 of Wicked Little Thief

He hadn’t even been contrite when she’d stood there with tears streaming down her face, just told her to wait for him in the bedroom.

And she had.

That’s the part that still galled her to this day.

He’d come in wearing just his jeans and shrugged when she’d sobbed, “I thought you loved me.”

“I did, but things change. We’re not working out anymore.”

That had been the first Utah had heard of it. She’d had her suspicions, especially about the woman in the other room who’d been at a beach party she and Eric had gone to. But he’d assured her she was imagining things. Utah ought to have trusted her gut.

“You should get your things and go.”

“Where am I supposed to go, Eric? I don’t have any money. I don’t have a job… I don’t even have a credit card!”

When he’d convinced her not to go back to college for her sophomore year and go to the West Coast with him instead, he’d told her she wouldn’t have to worry, he could support them. He’d paid for everything—their apartment, food, utilities. It was his car they’d used to travel from Boston to California, so she didn’t even have a car to sleep in.

“You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”

She should have thrown things, made a scene, done something. But she hadn’t, she just packed a bag and left.

At the time she was nineteen and didn’t know any better. Well, she was thirty-two now and that shit wasn’t going to fly.

Grabbing her laptop, she headed to Parker’s office because, fuck Liam.

As she marched to the elevator she mused about that dark time in her life, and how far she’d come since then. If Eric hadn’t abandoned her three thousand miles from home with no money for food or a place to live, she might not have honed her hacking skills. At the time, she’d used them to survive until she mustered up the courage and had saved enough money to go back home with her tail between her legs.

She made a promise to Dakota that she’d never disappear like that again, and that she’d always be home for Christmas, no matter what. At the same time, she made a vow to herself to never again rely on anyone—especially a man—for anything. For thirteen years, she’d kept that promise, right up until she was arrested. Now, here she was relying on Liam for everything.

And having to call him Sir while I do!

Okay, that part hadn’t been so bad.

But now she just felt foolish, and the collar around her neck only added to that feeling.

She got off the elevator on the fifth floor where Parker’s office was. Pausing in the waiting area to set her laptop down, she reached behind her to unclasp her necklace.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

His deep voice sounded ominous.

She whirled around to find Liam standing in the stairwell door. Even with the distance between them, she could feel his fury radiating off him.

She didn’t immediately let go of the clasp, and his eyebrows went up as if he was issuing a warning.

Finally, she slowly lowered her hands, leaving the collar intact around her neck. But she kept his stare, refusing to back down even when she wanted to shrink into the wall as he took slow steps to advance toward her.

“Apparently, I’ve been too lenient with you, little one. A problem that will be rectified immediately, I assure you.”

Utah shook her head and blurted out, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

His face was impassive when he shrugged and said, “You have your probation officer’s number. Give him a call and let him know it’s not working.” Instead of waiting around to call her bluff, he turned on his heel. “Schedule a time with Kathy to get your things before you head back to jail.”

Fuck. Jail.

She’d almost forgotten about that part.

He'd reached the door to the stairs when she called out, “Wait.”

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