Parker Ward stands at the podium, poised and ready to start his annual meeting. For the past six months, he has been asking me to come work for Ward Enterprises to start his community redevelopment division. It wasn’t until he offered me a shiny penthouse overlooking the city of Portland that I finally agreed.

As I cast my gaze around the conference room, I notice everyone has their attention on Mr. Ward. He speaks eloquently about the services his company provides the surrounding areas. That is why I’m here. He brought me in to revitalize a failing community. It’s my job to bring life back into it, which is easier said than done. Although with the financial backing of Ward Enterprises, anything can be easy.

“Over the years, Ward Enterprises has expanded business into many different aspects. Recently, instead of buying out a sinking fashion company, we partnered and launched our own fashion line. It is with that success that we were approached to give back to the community. It’s easy to make a donation and watch others do the work, but Ward Enterprises is above that. When we do something, we do it at one hundred percent, which is why I created the Community Redevelopment Project.

“CRP will help rehabilitate neighborhoods that come to us for help. Their spokesperson must show us where they have tried and failed to raise the funds needed. The board will listen, assess, and review the application and oral presentation. We will also go to the city and see. We will watch the community interact, and see if they’re a viable investment for Ward Enterprises. There will be some that we have to say no to, but that doesn’t exclude them from applying later.”

The man beside me leans over. “You new here?” he asks, interrupting Parker’s speech. He extends his hand and we shake. “I’m Bryant Frazier. I work in Marketing.”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Kai—”

“And now I’d like to introduce you to Kai Robicheau, the new director of the Community Redevelopment Project. Kai’s first major project will be Sweet Briar,” Parker explains. Everyone starts clapping as I stand and reach for the button on my suit jacket. I grin at the man next to me and make my way to the podium where I shake Parker’s hand.

“Thank you for the warm welcome,” I say into the microphone. “I am very happy to be here and get started on bringing life back to Sweet Briar. Today, I will make my first official trip out there. Over the past few months, Mr. Ward and I have gone out and met with Pastor Larry and gone over what the community needs. Our first plan will be to build some low-income housing and reopen the strip mall that’s there. It’ll be our focus to bring industry back to Sweet Briar and generate a tax base. If anyone would like to tag along, please let me know.” A few people laugh, but only Bryant raises his hand. I nod toward him. “Thank you!”

After making my way back to the table, Bryant shakes my hand again. “Mr. Ward has been talking about you, says we’re to give you whatever you want.”

“Really? No budget?”

He shakes his head. “Sweet Briar has a special place in his heart. It’s where his grandmother was born and raised.”

It all makes sense now why Sweet Briar is the first official town for this project. I would do the same thing if my grandparents needed help.

Parker speaks for a few more minutes before he excuses everyone. I’m barely out of my seat before others are coming over to introduce themselves. I find out quickly that my assistant’s name is Brittany, and she’s here to make sure my job is easy. I can already tell that I like her, although I have a strict ‘no fraternizing with co-workers’ policy. I did that once and it turned out bad. So bad, in fact, that I quit my job and moved away.

“Are you serious about heading out to Sweet Briar with me?” I ask Bryant.

“Of course,” he replies.

I motion for him to follow me out of the conference room, only to have Parker call my name.

“I see that you’ve met Bryant,” Parker says, nodding toward the man.

“Yes, he’s going to head out with me. I’m going to meet with Pastor Larry and let him know that we’ll to get started on Monday.”

“Perfect. If you need anything, let me know.” Parker pats my shoulder before disappearing down the hall.

“So tell me what it’s like to work at Ward Enterprises?” I ask Bryant as we ride the elevator down to the parking garage.

He shrugs, but I can tell he’s happy. “Hard and rewarding. Ward doesn’t mess around. He’s a shark, but treats all of his employees well.”

“That’s good to hear.” I point at my car and climb into the driver’s seat. The GPS already has Sweet Briar plugged in and ready to go when I start my car.

“Nice ride.” He strokes the dashboard of my Z4 Roadster.

“Came in handy when I was living in Malibu,” I tell him as we pull out of the parking garage. Of course, it’s raining, which means I won’t be able to put the top down. That was the luxury I gave up in order to move here—sun and warmth all the time—but I believe in this project and Ward’s vision.

It’s almost an hour before we arrive in Sweet Briar, which is out toward the coast. I can already tell that I’m going to have to be strategic when I’m going to be working on site or the office. Traffic is heavy, but nothing compared to what we’d experience in Los Angeles.

When we arrive, I show Bryant where we are breaking ground on Monday for the housing project. I also reveal what the apartments will look like. We’re installing a playground to give the children a place to play, along with a swimming pool. Next, I take him over to the rundown strip mall that I will be working to bring business back to, starting with a grocery store.

“This is a huge project,” he says as we survey the grass-riddled parking lot of the shopping center.

“I know.” The toe of my shoe kicks up a clump of grass.

“No pressure, right?” he laughs as I shake my head.

He has no idea. I left a very cushiony job in Malibu doing urban development to take this job. Failing isn’t an option for me. There is too much at stake, even more knowing that this town has more meaning to Parker than another destitute location.

Bryant rattles off his ideas for the shopping center, and even though this isn’t his specialty, he has a lot of great ideas. Many are things I might implement in the development plan.

Bryant cocks his head to the side, stroking his chin. “This will be good.”

“I agree. Ward Enterprises is doing a good thing by helping out the struggling community.”

We head inside the buildings and I show Bryant a few of the plans. The stores will be rebuilt to suit the needs of the retailer. No more of this one size fits all type construction. Those types of buildings don’t work for smaller vendors.

“What do you say we go grab a late lunch,” Bryant suggests.

“Yeah, I could go for some grub. Why don’t you show me your favorite place?”

“I know just the spot,” he replies, laughing.

Getting back into the car, we head toward downtown. Bryant gives me turn-by-turn directions until he has me pulling into a somewhat empty parking lot. The restaurant doesn’t have windows, and I have feeling that we’re about to have lunch at some mediaeval reenactment dungeon where the waitresses are dressed like wenches and the entertainment like Josephine Bonaparte.

“What is this place?” I ask, making sure my car is locked.

Bryant chuckles and pats my back, leading me toward the building. He holds the door open and once I step in, a small sense of fear and curiosity starts to take over my senses. The hallway is dark with a faint sound of music. “Um …”

“Trust me.” He pushes me forward until we get to the end of the hall where a large window is. Bryant shows the lady something and she smiles.

“Fill this out,” she says, sliding a small sheet of paper forward. It asks for my name, address, and phone number.

Glancing from her to Bryant and back at the sheet, I shake my head.

“Trust me,” he says again. “You’ll enjoy lunch.”

I shrug, write down my info, and hand it back to her. Almost immediately, a door opens and a big, burly man beckons us in. “Stay here,” he tells us. Honestly, I don’t know where he thinks we’ll go. The space we’re in is dark, louder than it was in the other room.

“Hello, Bryant. Who’s your friend?” A young woman appears, as if out of thin air. She’s tall with short, jet-black hair and dressed in a black and white ensemble. In fact, the man behind us is in a tux.

“This is Kai Robicheau. He’s new in town, and I thought what a better way than to introduce him to Society X.” Bryant grins at me.

“I’m sorry, where are we?”

“I’m Jenica, welcome to Society X.” Taking me by the hand, she leads me through another a curtain and along a wall, into a space that has my mouth dropping open. Inside the wide-open room, front and center, is a stage with a woman stripping. All around the room, men and women are watching her. Along the back wall, the bar is full with half the patrons being served by scantily clad women.

Running my hand through my hair, I’m at a loss for words. Bryant has a shit-eating grin on his face and he’s laughing. “I know what you’re thinking.”

I snort. “Actually, I don’t think you are.”

Jenica leads us to a table and tells us that someone will be over to take our order. I sit, but with extreme caution, not knowing when the last time the leather seat has been cleaned. “I thought you meant food,” I tell him as I look around. “Lunch usually equates things to eat.”

He laughs again before angling his seat toward the stage. “Sometimes a little liquid is the best lunch.”

I stare at him like he’d lost his fucking mind. “And Ward is okay with this?”

Bryant shrugs, and I know right away that the only thing I’ll drink today is water. Getting drunk at lunchtime isn’t something I pride myself on.

“What is this place?” I ask, glancing around the room.

“We’re an exclusive club, Mr. Robicheau,” Jenica answers, returning in time for my question. “Let me give you a tour.” She takes my hand, whether I had any intention of going with her or not. I think about looking back at Bryant, but have a feeling his eyes are focused on the new dancer who just came onto stage.

Jenica takes me down a hall, stopping at a door where she puts a code into a keypad. “Welcome to Society X, Mr. Robicheau. We are Portland’s only exclusive sex club that offers its clients the utmost anonymity. What happens here … stays here.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Eyes wide, I stare at her in disbelief.

She goes to another door and opens it. Inside, there’s a large, semi-circular couch, centered in front of a stage. On said stage is a couple, going at it as if this was their last time together.

“Should we be in here?” I blink a few times, thinking I had to be seeing things. When I open them, the couple is still going at it, the sound of their bodies slapping together. What the fuck have I entered?

“Yes, they like to be viewed. This is the viewing room. Follow me.”

It takes me a few seconds to peel my eyes away. I’m a red-blooded male and would be a fool to pass up real-life porn. The next room she calls the dark room, and explains that this is the place everyone should use once because it’s the best way to get to know your partner.

“Our third room is the play room.” She opens the door and it’s bare.

“What goes on in here?” It doesn’t even compare to the others.

“Whatever you want. If you’re into spankings, role playing, candle play, it can happen in here.”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t me.”

“That’s what they all say.” She hands me a document titled Society X Application. “Read it and fill it out before you leave.” Tossing me a wink, she leaves me in the room. There is no way I would ever do anything like this, but I have a feeling that if I don’t hand this back to her, she’ll lock me in some hidden room. Who knows, I’d probably like it, but this place isn’t for me. I have a reputation to protect.

Without reading fully, I fill out the questions, writing down the most ridiculous answers I can think of. I have nothing to lose since I will never set foot in this building again.