n that penthouse. But it w

levator or the main door, a warning beep would sound. If I took one more step, the electricity would drop me to m

meals. I cleaned her home, washed her clothes, and responded to "Ethan" or "it" or whatever name she chose for me that day.

r the wrong way. The collar was her favorite tool, a simple button press that could induce breathtaking pain

ought Mark P

g laugh that filled the sterile spaces of the penthouse. He was a successful businessm

dismissive, like she was pointing out a piec

k. It was predatory. He saw the collar around my neck. He saw the way I kept my e

his eyes glinting. "It's im

disgustingly affectionate in front of me, their laughter and whispered secret

ts were

uld command, his voice s

every intimate moment was a performance for my benefit. I would stare at a spot on the wall, t

d, Sarah would let him use the remote for the collar. A sharp

t, it es

ah, pulling a small, sharp object from his bedsi

bows, a genuine, cruel smile sprea

d, his eyes locked on me. "So

med over me. He grabbed m

till," he s

old and firm. I struggled, a primal fear rising in my throat, but they wer

I bit my lip to keep from screaming, the coppery taste of blood filling

er at a time. C. R

s immense, but the humiliation was worse. To be branded

my arm was a mess of

kind of excitement. She clapped her hands toge

rfect," she said, kissing him deep

aze flicking to me for a second

private jet tour of the islands. Just the t

ulling her bac

ing into a pinprick of pain and despair. The word "CRIMINAL" bur

ook root. A desperate,

private jet with a complex control s

t, then I would choose how it end

as all I needed. My fingers, clumsy from disuse but still remembering the old rhythms, flew across the keyboard. I found t

thread of code that would give me comp

asn't just a prisoner. I had a purpose. I watched the flight tracker on a hidden t

ver the ocean, a thousand

as t

the jet's autopilot, overriding the pilots' controls. I sent the plane into a

t's finally over. A sens

ands fought against mine. Someone on the plane was fightin

was a brilliant cybersecurity ex

hear alarms blaring, the pilots shouting in confusion. And then I heard her voice, r

Don't you dare!

any punch. Not "Don't crash t

touch

at moment of absolute terror, her

antic voice, her desperate plea to save the man who ha

s I watched her expertly regain control of the aircraft, her digital ghost fighting mine in the heart

old, humming darkness, with nothing but her terri