“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
A jolt of electricity blinds me, rippling in waves through my neck, bringing me down to my knees.
It only lasts a fraction of a second.
A warning.
Unlike the last time when I ran, she was quick with the pulse, the pain.
Gasping for breath, my heart races, and I stare up at her, the devil. I grind my teeth, snarling, “Fucking bitch.”
Livia laughs and tilts her head. “You’re just now figuring that out? Well done, Harper. Get in the shower. Don’t make me ask you again.”
My fingers graze the necklace.
Water and electricity don’t mix.
“What about—” I finger the collar, tapping on the exterior.
Will she remove it?
“Don’t piss me off and you’ll be fine.”
She pushes me into the bathroom and shuts the door behind me.
There’s no lock, anyone can enter on a whim.
Great.
There’s a glass shower door and I open it, reaching for the faucet, turning the handle on and to hot, making the water the right temperature.
The bathroom is an interior room. There are no windows, no way to escape from inside.
I turn on the fan and then slowly open the main door, hoping I might be able to sneak out.
Livia glances up from her phone, raising an eyebrow at me.
“What about clean clothes and a towel?” I ask, doing my best not to seem like I’m up to trouble. I was hoping I might escape, but she’s standing there guarding the door like a hellhound.
“There are fresh linens in the bath closet.” She pushes past me into the bathroom, and to the left, there’s a small closet filled with towels and washcloths. A small chute sits on the interior wall inside the closet. “Toss your dirty clothes and towels down the laundry chute.”
Livia shoves me back into the bathroom.
So much for sneaking out unnoticed.
Even if I manage to escape with the collar on, how far would I get before she realizes I’m gone and jolt me?
How much distance do I need until her remote is disabled? Feet? Miles?
I don’t look at my reflection in the mirror. The bathroom has steamed, leaving a fog over the glass. Bending down, I open the cabinets under the sink.
Empty.
Perhaps if I break the mirror, I could use a shard as a weapon to get away.
There’s nothing to break it with, except my fist and a towel. Even the shampoo and conditioner containers are affixed to the shower wall, bolted in place.
Well, fuck.
