The extent of working for billion dollar companies could not be matched with that working in a fast food restaurant. Just like politicians, every company had its moments of being humiliated or embarrassed by the general circumstances that make us all human. Temptation. Mr. Hale had been tempted to want sex, Mr. Hurst had been tempted to be respected, Mr. Codwell had been tempted to obtain power, and I was tempted by love. It would seem that temptation is a reason for most of us to keep striving for our personal goals.

You want to be a big shot in New York who's well respected, wealthy and handsome.

.

You want to be a famous actor, singer, or athlete that's well accepted, well known, well loved.

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You want to be rich beyond compare that comes with having expensive cars, clothing, dining.

.

It all boiled down to how much you were willing to sacrifice in order to get the gratification of having the things you want.. at least that's what I've come to realize.

"I'm assuming you know then."

The gentleman standing before me had been the President or Owner of club Paragon. The very club that accepted Mr. Hale a young CEO of his company with open arms into the world of sex, money, and power. The club that sculpted him into a guarded, aloof, and frank man. Mr. Dalton had been a very fit, the same height as Mr. Hale with arctic blue eyes, and dark hair slicked back. I watch as he fidgets with his watch that's on his left wrist.

I know he had been in his early to mid thirties because he carried a stern demeanor on his shoulders. That even more intimidating than Mr. Hale. We stand in the foyer of Hale Inc. as he had been exiting the elevator.

"He told me everything. It's not like he would lie to me."

"If you know about Alexandria. I would have assumed he would tell you everything." He gestured me towards the entrance of the building in which I follow not wanting to start a commotion in the building. The audacity of this man. "It would seem that you have caused quite a commotion throughout the dealings of the club. Mr. Hurst has disappeared and Mr. Codwell, well let's just say you are in better hands than you would have been."

"Though we cannot excuse the fact that your involvement could potentially mess with the financial statuses of another. It's dangerous fooling with a man's financial stability."

"We? Who's we? I'm confused as to what you are trying to say."

"Mr. Hurst has not been seen in nearly 15 months and the only person he was last in business with was Mr. Hale. Do you really think he would just leave his company behind?"

My suspicions rise that Mr. Hale could be accounted for some criminal activity that could jeopardize his title. I'm wearing a puzzled look on my face trying to decipher what actually happened a year ago.

"I can assure you that Mr. Hale had been with me majority of the time. Even if he was subjected to that kind of behavior I know he wouldn't want to sabotage someone's career or life for that matter."

Mr. Dalton opens the glass door to the building. "Well then... it seems he hasn't told you everything then." He states blandly. "You have yourself a good day, Miss Donovan."

The way his eyes soften slightly gives me an uneasy feeling. I watch Mr. Dalton casually stroll to what looks to be a blackened out, Maserati. I understand what kind of association Mr. Hale had joined at that moment. Quickly shuffling my feet into the elevator I was determined to get everything explained.

It seemed that this club was more then Mr. Hale had been describing.

Mr. Hale escorts me into a private conference room that I haven't seen before. The company had changed dramatically since I left. Everything had changed to be more modernity appealing to the eye. The chairs are white and pristine around a squared-off table that had mac books made into the table.

"What's wrong, Ellie? You seem uneasy?" Mr. Hale questions placing his hand on my chin and cheek.

The comfort of his hand only made my heartache for I felt like I could possibly lose him to this situation that the club presented.

"This club, Mr. Dalton, he seems to think you have done something to lead to the disappearance of Mr. Hurst. What exactly is this club? Association? Cult?"

Mr. Hale removes his hand from my face placing both of his hands in his pocket. "It is not a cult," He smirks slightly. "The club Paragon deals will some illegal activity in which I took no part in after I found out about the kidnappings and murders. The club is private with only the wealthiest of men having a permanent entry." He leans against the conference table.

"Oh m—"

"I knew you wouldn't understand, but this organization is bigger than the both of us. Extortion. Murder. Kidnappings. Blackmail. It happens. Every day we just choose to keep a blind eye turned towards it. I would not have done any of those to Mr. Hurst. Well, I had been leaning towards the blackmail."

He tries to jest to make light of the situation, but I cannot seem to smile at a time like this.

"Well then where is he!?"

"Prison."

"I don't understand."

"I told you-you weren't the only person he had seduced. He needed the business for his company had taken a plunge after the reports of one his former employees stealing ideas. I didn't realize the extent of his boundaries because it's possible that he didn't have any. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Codwell weren't as modest as I was. The overabundance of power within the club kept the tensions high between one another." He rubs his left hand over the stubble along his chin.

Temptation.

"Is Mr. Dalton aware?"

"He has been informed that Mr. Hurst is not in the country, but Mr. Codwell and I are handling it," he sighs. "I do not want you to worry about this."

It is hard to not think about when you had been accused that you had been the reason for the disappearance of Mr. Hurst. Mr. Hale wanted to feel in control over the situation which I understood because he had been in a delicate situation.

"Mr. Codwell cares about someone other than himself? That surprises even that of me," I comment trying to change the subject.

"Glen hadn't always been that way. Glen is a Strategy Manager that oversees a company's plans to develop partnerships, growth and launch new profit-driving initiatives. He demands the respect of being the most important role in a company, but I have surpassed that aspect with multiple knowledge of different fields in my company. There was always a competition between Mr. Codwell and me. While Mr. Hurst indulged on the finer things in life like women, fine dining, expensive suits."

I take a seat in one of the mosaic wooden lounge chairs as this conversation continues. "What about you? What did you seek in the club after joining?" I queried watching him loosen the tie around his neck.

"I just wanted to succeed in life without having to be subjected to the same circumstances I had been born through. My adoptive parents paid for the best schooling possible so that I could be the prodical child of their liking. I enjoy my work though. Technology is always innovating to make changes to the world as necessary."

Mr. Hale has sat down on the coffee table before me with our eyes meeting. This man is truly a marvel in many ways than one. I feel as though most of his life has been planned out for him by events or people. "Will you go on a date with me?" I force my teeth down onto my bottom lip once I ask the question.

I'm feeling flustered as if he's like a high school crush who I've been wanting to date since I was a sophomore or something. His lips curl into a smile displaying just the rim of his teeth. "I'm sure it works the other way around, but Miss Donovan. I'd love to." He places his fingers around his tie tightening it once again.

There's a cute restaurant known as Phoebe's which sits in a little plaza adjacent to some other restaurants. The hostess had been nice enough to sit us quickly for Mr. Hale had to still run a company and missing time was missing money. The humor is that I felt that he had been spending more time with me in general. Another sign of relationship traits.

"May I start you two off with a beverage?" The young waitress seemed to be chirpy in her white button up shirt.

Mr. Hale is looking down at the menu before saying. "I'll have a glass of water to start, but can we get two glasses of your Cabernet Sauvignon, thank you," he says placing the menu down on the table.

"Thank you," I nod to the waitress in agreement. "I'll have a glass of water as well."

The waitress nods then walks away to fetch the drinks. Mr. Hale unbuttons his cuffs as he watches me intently humming to the song playing in the background. "You're beautiful, Ellie," he states a matter of factly.

I cannot help but flush at his random comment. "Thank you, Xander." Underneath my eye lashes I watch him look around the restaurant almost admiring the scenery. "France or Greece is the theme."

"France for sure. You can tell my the architecture of the building that the older the building the more you appreciate beauty in its delicate form." He corrects as the waitress begins to pour the wine into both of our glasses.

"France is where you want to go?"

"It was a thought, but then I had glanced you in a different light. You appreciate sceneries. So I chose somewhere we can marvel at everything," I respond taking a sip of the savory dry wine.

The taste of wine makes me realize that I haven't enjoyed an alcoholic beverage in a while. It makes brings back the joy to my tastebuds and lower abdomen. Wine making me excited. That's an interesting touch.

"France is overpraised. Every couple wants to go to the City of Love," he scoffs slightly. "I've been there five times and it's boring now."

Mr. Hale has been to France five times while the extent of my vacationing or traveling has been to New York City for school and a better career change. I'm jealous of his life a little more now. "I've never been to France," I state.

"Greece is a beautiful country. Switzerland is even better than Paris."

"You've been to Greece and Switzerland?"

Mr. Hale takes another sip of the wine. "I've been to eight different countries. It's a given to mingle outside of the United States when you're a company that deals with technology or softwares that can be industrialized everywhere." I'm realizing that maybe he has even visited the place I have picked out.

"Are you two ready to order?" The young waitress is back with a pad and pen in hand.

"I would like to have egg salad sandwich on wheat bread with your soup of the day on the side," I close my menu handing it to her.

"I will have the chicken salad sandwich with your grilled chicken fruit salad as a side. Toasted please and light on the mayo," he explains handling her the menu.

Mr. Hale loves fruits. I make a note that as the place we will be visiting will be a perfect place for a picnic. "I'm surprised to see you eating a salad." I smile genuinely over to him.

"Salad just so happens to be one of my favorite dishes to eat. Just provided that you put loads of toppings."

"Now you're beginning to sound unhealthy."

"Well thank you, ma'am."

Our small conversation causes me to giggle slightly. The date was turning out just as I hoped with conversation, smiles, and chuckling every now and then. "Where did you pick to travel to Miss Donovan?" He asks.

"It's a surprise because we both probably haven't been there. I noticed quite a few things about you so I hope you'll enjoy the place I have picked. It requires less ties and more shorts."

I've hinted that he would have to pick something that will require less clothing material. I'm his thoughts have been the beach even though he knows that I'm from Florida that you cannot take the beach out of the girl.

"I feel like we will be going somewhere with lots of water."

"Not that much water."

The perplexed look on his face assured that he hadn't been everywhere. "So much for those eight countries," I laugh taking the last sip of my wine.

The waitress comes back setting down my egg salad sandwich in front of my hungry eyes. It's stacked one on top of the other. The eggs looked slightly creamy protruding from the perfectly cut slice. My stomach grumbles for a second in which my mouth has watered from the sandwich.

I admire the chives and spinach leaves around the sandwich. Mr. Hale's sandwich and salad look equally as appealing which makes me want to take a bite. "Enjoy your food," the waitress leaves us both.

"This looks delicious," he grabs a fork hovering it over his salad. "Would you like a bite?"

The question I've been waiting for which causes me to quickly respond. "Yes!" I'm embarrassed from how quickly I answered his question for my inner fat girl wouldn't pass up a free bite from another's plate.

The fork has a blueberry, strawberry, cucumber and lettuce on the end in which I enjoy the flavors of the sweet strawberry, and tartness of the blueberry then the crunch of the cucumber comes afterwards. I close my eyes as the food reminds me of an orgasm.

"Mm.."

Mr. Hale has hunger in his eyes once I open mine to find him mesmerized by my action. "You've seem to work yourself up an appetite, but if you moan in pleasure from food once more.. I'm afraid we won't even get to enjoy a bite of this food." It comes off as a forewarning which makes me blush slightly.

"We can always go for dessert... that's if you're still hungry for more afterwards," I wink at him placing my hand around my egg salad sandwich.

"That's what you want, Miss Donovan?" He places down his fork on the plate. "I'm obliged to take you up on that offer. After all I make the rules in my company. This lunch break could extend for another few hours." He adds.

I felt a shiver crawl up my inner thigh sending the the sweet sensation straight upwards. "Eat sir, lets see how the rest of this date plays out."

This tender moment shared between the both of showed me a more attractive side to Mr. Hale. I learned that he enjoyed fruits, salad with the fattiest of toppings, sceneries and the more rural areas of the world. The place where we would be traveling to wouldn't be as crowded just like he wanted. I add a few points to the girlfriend meter which made me happy inside. For now the dealings of the club seem to subside as we enjoyed lunch as a true couple.