Bean and me only!~

"Home is fine, thank you," she smiled gently, following him.

Andrew nodded, leading her out to the car and getting into the driver's seat while opening the doors for her guards and herself. It was silent as they all got in and the car was started. The radio was probably the only thing that disturbed the silence. "Where do you live?" he asked as he stopped at a red light.

She and the guards followed him into his car. "One more red light and the apartments on the right," she said. When they arrived in front of her apartments, she thanked Andrew and her bodyguards and got out, walking inside without making it look like she was hurrying. The less of the two trusted bodyguards got out as well and walked across the street to his own place. The more trusted looked at Andrew and slid out. Before he got completely out of the car, he muttered, "She was raped last night. Don't tell anyone," and closed the door.

Andrew's eyes widened as wide as saucers, shock settling in. Raped? No wonder she was..so scared. She was terrified it might happen again. He gripped the steering wheel, fighting with the instinct to try and run after Ashley. It wasn't his situation to meddle in, no matter if she was his 'employee'. "Screw it, I'm just gonna head home and get a nice cold beer." he mumbled, shaking his head and driving off to his apartment. But those words from the bodyguard stayed in his head, repeating over and over in an never-ending echo. He shouldn't have let her go off on her own....It was his fault.

Ashley closed her blinds and went to take a shower, putting her money earned for that day in her purse to be deposited later. She let herself relax, wincing when the hot water pounded on the cut down her back.

Andrew had gotten in, getting a beer and undressed, then putting on just a t-shirt and boxers. He was home and no girl to attend to, as he liked it. Sitting down in the lounge chair infront of the tv that was propped on the wall, he turned it on and sighed as he saw the news. "Goddamnit, I don't need this drama right now." he complained as more drama about a random robbery came on. Changing it, he just couldn't concentrate. Unfortunately he had no way of contacting Ashley, so, no way to really get the full story....He had to spend the night with the guilt just growing like a wild fire.

Finishing her shower, she sighed and got ready for bed, sleeping on her side as she tried not to remember the previous night. Fortunately, it stayed out of her dreams and she was able to sleep peacefully. She got up late the next day, around noon, and got ready for work.

Andrew had gotten to work way before noon since he had to see how it went with his boss. He liked it, of course. "Old pervert.." he mumbled as he walked out of the office and froze as a certain rival of his stood by the door of his office. "Evans, what do you want?" he asked as he walked in and was followed. "Well, I happened to notice that you've been going somewhere lately. A strip club, was it?" he said, smirking as he sat down. "One of my guys knows the girl you see a lot, happen to date her?" he asked but with a smug face. "It's none of your business. I don't date strippers thank you very much. That's just damn low." he said harshly as Evans chuckled, nodding. "Well, you certainly liked hiring her for the boss, he couldn't stop talking about it last night when he called drunk as a skunk." those were the words that made him freeze. If the stupid man was drunk, could Evans use it against him? Crap. What's even worse is that he's usually the guy that those employee reviewers look to for stuff on others. Aw great! He could feel his gut tighten and his hands shake a bit on the desk.

Ashley winced, her cut, and the muscles around it, sore as she moved to get dressed. It didn't help that she wore a corset under her jacket, but her "profession" wasn't comfortable to begin with, so she was able to ignore the throbbing for a bit, though the sting made her gasp a little when it got bad enough. She finished getting ready and called up her bodyguard, to gave her a ride to the club where she fixed her hair and makeup for the show that she and the girls threw every night. It changed every night, but there was still a show.

The talk went on for at least fifteen minutes, but it was enough to make Andrew decide something drastic. If Evans (most likely) had info on Ashley, god knows what he could do. He could get fired just because it wouldn't look good for the company's representative to be involved with a stripper, even if it's just for parties. "God...I'm gonna have to stay away for a while.." he mumbled, feeling bad that he'd have to cut off Ashley. Then again, they were business associates....What's the point in feeling guilt?

Once the show was done, Ashley smiled, looking more like her usual self as she welcomed some customers back to her room of the club. She began dancing, comforted by the fact that both of her bodyguards were against the wall behind her customers, ready if she needed them.

As soon as the evening set in, Andrew drove by the club, but he didn't stop. "I have to stay away. That's all.." he mumbled as he drove straight to the same diner. He ordered something he never usually ate which was a cheeseburger and fries with a chocolate shake. Rarely did he order that because he wanted to stay in shape. "Damn that Evans, I swear!" he hissed quietly as he ate. Meanwhile, Evans himself had come to the club, looking around especially for Ashley.

Ashley got done with her dance and went to get a drink of water out where the main stage was to see if she'd get anymore customers that evening.

Evans or really, Richard, walked over towards the blonde, recognizing her from the boss's description. "You Ashley?" he asked, smiling.

She smiled. "I am. Can I help you," she asked, thinking he looked like a businessman. She wondered how he knew about her?

Richard chuckled, nodding. "Can we talk in private?" he asked with a soft voice.

"My bodyguards are as private as anyone's going to get," she smiled. "General rule here. But yes, you may," she said and lead him back to her corner of the club. "Now, what can I help you with," she asked, sitting down.

Richard sat down, sighing. "Do you know someone named Andrew Taylor? A business man whose only purpose was to hire you for private affairs? I was told you were the one he used." he chuckled.

"You can't ask questions about other customers," one of the bodyguards grunted.

She smiled pleasantly at the businessman. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I'm not sure who you're talking about. Even if I did, I couldn't tell you. Customer privacy," she shrugged. The first part was only a half-lie. She wasn't sure what Andrew's last name was, but he didn't only hire her for private meetings. So it wasn't a total lie.

That's where the girl was wrong. Richard had evidence, which was why he smirked and had the eyes only a snake would. The position for CEO was soon to open, all for Andrew and himself including others to take, but he wasn't going to let Andrew get it most of all. "I have evidence of your dear 'client' coming here which would pretty much stain his resume and reputation in red....I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that for the only source of straight and almost clean flow of money. Would you?"

She frowned, all traces of friendliness gone as she looked at him, clearly suspicious and disapproving. "What the hell do you want?"

"Heh, if you can just do something for me. Well, I can't guarantee that it'll be clean. I want you to mess with his head, get close and just really f*ck him up for me. Work that womanly charm, make him fall for ya or whatever, and then just crush him after learning some of his stuff for this new plan he wants to show to our bosses for the company. Get me?" Richard smirked, chuckling and taking out his checkbook. "I'll pay whatever you'd like, even enough to get you a condo, I've got the money."

She frowned, very much disapproving of his scheme. But Andrew was a good guy. He didn't deserve to have all of his records painted in red. But which was worse? Losing the plan he had for his bosses or losing everything? "If you make sure he doesn't lose his job or home, then I'll do it," she said. Andrew wouldn't be happy with her afterwords, hell SHE wouldn't be happy with her afterward (or during, for that matter). "For three quarters of a million dollars in my bank account by the beginning of next week." If she was gonna do this, it wasn't gonna be for cheap.

Richard chuckled, smiling. He was definitely a snake, coniving and wrapping around whatever he could reach that wasn't his. "Good girl, and I'll give you my number so that I can be let in on the progress.." he said as he put wrote down the amount she claimed for the service she was doing for him. "Anything else?" he asked, giving her the check.

She nearly spat as he said "Good girl". How dare he!? Idiotic fool, she thought, along with many other fowl things about the man. She didn't let any of this show on her face, however. She kept up her business-like act. "My bodyguards should be paid for keeping quiet, of course. What do you think, boys," she asked, looking back at her bodyguards."

"Thirty thousand each for however many weeks it takes," they decided.

Ashley smiled at Richard. This was going to be quite expensive for him. "Is that too much?" She just might drag this out for weeks, possibly months on end, just to drain him of his money.