He regarded her solemnly. “Have no doubt, Venus. You are my pampered goddess. But tonight, I intend only to watch, and this is very much for me. Just remember your promise to trust me and know that I will never allow you to come to harm, and my night will be f*****g perfect.” As Venus languidly soaked in the tub, she pondered the oddity of Malcolm’s last words to her before he’d ushered her into the bedroom and then disappeared, leaving her to heed his instructions. They seemed in direct contradiction and try as she might, she couldn’t come up with a scenario in which, as he’d said, tonight he’d only watch but had followed it with a solemn vow that he would never allow her to come to harm. The two statements seemed incongruous. Granted, she didn’t have much experience with s*x, much les