She wonders, “How can I possibly agree to all this? And apparently it’s for my benefit, to explore my sensuality, my limits-safely-oh, please! I scoff angrily.

When Ana first receives the contract, which lays out the agreement between the dominant and submissive, she’s put off by much of it. They clarify where consent is given, and where it is not. Contracts aren’t uncommon in BDSM relationships.

The contract Christian gives Ana is the hinge upon which they negotiate power and control.