“Besides, immense power is acquired by assuring yourself in your secret reveries that you were born to control things.”

“I want you to willingly surrender yourself to me, in all things.”

“My world was ordered, calm, and controlled, then you came into my life with your smart mouth, your innocence, your beauty, and your quiet temerity ...and everything before you was just dull, empty, mediocre ...it was nothing.”

“You sound like a control freak." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. "Oh, I exercise control in all things, Miss Steele," he says without a trace of humor in his smile.”

“I don't have a philosophy as such. Maybe a guiding principle, Carnegie's A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possessionof anything else to which he is justly entitled.' I'm very singular, driven. I like control... of myself and those around me.”

“Anastasia, you were comatose. Necrophilia is not my thing.”

“I would have told you earlier, but as it was your birthday . . . What do you give the man who has everything? I thought I’d give you . . . me.”He puts the keychain down on the bedside table and snuggles in beside me, pulling me into his arms against his chest so that we’re spooning.“It’s perfect. Like you.”