Peach Kisses

Tequila's POV Did your parents seriously name you Tequila? Do you like it? Whose idea was it? It isn't that bad. Like I really care what they think. If my mama decided to name me after a delicious burning drink then so be it. I never expected to be caught in the lion's den but even now I still don't believe it. Walking home from work was the most exhausting part of the day, but soon, I could afford my own car. Soon. After a moment of indecisiveness, I decided to take the shortcut. I was always wary about it, and my instincts screamed at me to go back but I was tired. It would take me another fifteen minutes to get home the long way. A few minutes later, I'm almost home, until loud indistinct shouting brings me to walk a little slower. Getting closer, the words become more clear and I blanch at one of the men's next word. "Shoot him." I know I should run. I should move. I should get the hell out of here but I couldn't. I was frozen in time. Bang! Flinching, a loud involuntary gasp leaves my mouth and all three eyes turn to me. "Crap." Turning on my heel I sprint off. "She saw!" "Let her go." "We can't. You know the boss. He finds out everything." The boss? Like those huge monsters, they make you fight when you're done with all the little ones in video games? Heavy footsteps land behind me and everything around me seems scary. Rain decides to pour out and I was really wondering where I got this energy from. I run towards my apartment stupidly, seeing it around the corner. But once I'm there what will I do? Protect yourself that's what! "Jeez, why's she so fast?" The bigger man pants close behind, and I use that to push forward, flying up the stairs. Crap, crap, crap! Where are my keys? "Keep going! She went up there!" I graze my pockets eagerly and as soon as I find it I'm pushed against the door. "Please don't kill me! I'm innocent I swear. I-I pay my taxes and me um . . I have a puppy! I work every single day and I've done nothing wrong. I won't say anything! I promise." "Dammit. Why'd you have to go into that lane?" "You know the rules Gnash." The bigger one, looking a bit more stern says and I gape as he hands Gnash a gun. "No!" He presses it against my temple and gazes at me sympathetically. "I'm sorry." He sighs as he pulls me away from my apartment. "No, wait! I-I have money!" I think. "We don't want your money." "Oh, cmon!" I should've taken those self-defense classes that Reid told me to take. "Where are you taking me?" "To the boss." So here I am, staring at the most beautiful man I have ever seen, sitting lazily on what seemed to be a throne. "Boss. ." The sympathetic blonde says. "She saw." The boss's face immediately hardens and I gulp. His grey eyes got even darker and he sat upright, staring at me fiercely. His black curls falling loosely over his eyes. He was muscular, dressed in slick black and I just stood in a creme pencil skirt, a black tank top and black bobs stuck to my feet, my hair slightly frizzy from the rain. My blazer long lost from running like a crazy woman to my apartment. "What do you remember?" He tilts his head, and I watch mesmerized as the hair moves to the side with his head. "Me?" I squeak and he blinks. "W-well, I um. I was walking home from an exhausting day at work. My feet were aching and they still are. I bet if I take out my shoe right now it would be all blistered and red, so I wanted to take a shortcut, and I got home that it's." I lie, laughing nervously. "I don't even know what I'm doing here." He leans back slowly, "oh, is that so?" In a moment he's in my face and I can't help but squeak again. "Do I look like a fool?" He grits and I shake my head furiously. "No! I mean, how does one even look like a fool? You look handsome though, why did I just say that? You look good, not good as in beautiful, good as in smart. Well if I was trying to say smart why would I say 'good'? That's my fault I'm sorry, what I'm trying to say is you don't look like a fool and if you did, you'd look like a smart fool." I stop rambling only to scrunch up my face. "A smart fool? That doesn't make any sense —" "Alright, alright stop talking now." He snaps and I seal my mouth shut. "The price you would have to pay for even hearing any of the conversations is dead." My breath hitches as I stare at them who just announced that he could take my life. "B-but I.. I have so many plans! And I have a little furry puppy that needs me. And what about Reid? I can't just die." I start sobbing pathetically and he scoffs. "You didn't let me finish. Stop acting like a child." He rolls his eyes and I sniff. "I can spare your life, but you need to do something for me." "What?" I ask, a little strained from the tears. "Be my wife." # "I.. what?" I gape and he shoos his men away, leaving him and I standing together. "What's your name?" "I. .I'm Tequila." "Oh, my name's whiskey." He raises an eyebrow and I sigh. "It's true." I persist and he eyes me. "What a strange name. . . for a strange woman." He circles me. "Are you trying to seem intimidating?" I scoff and he stops, his face stone cold. "B-because it's working." "Like I said I need you to be my wife." "Why? I mean. . . you don't know me, I don't know you. You're handsome, I look like a frog. They'll be no connection no lo-" "You seem to dwell on my looks a lot Tequila." The way my name rolls on his tongue. dang. "And trust me, we will keep love out of it. To others, it's a marriage, but to us, it's just a business proposal." "Business?" I say even more confused. "Yes. You get to keep your life and I get a wife." "I.. I don't think I'm comfortable with that." I murmur. "Do you want to keep your life?" "Of course I do. but. why can't you just let me go? I won't say anything." "The words from your mouth aren't really a guarantee." He shrugs and I bite my lip. "But. I. you can make a contract!" "I don't do contracts." He most likely lies. "I'm not ready for marriage!" I exclaim suddenly and he sighs. "I'm twenty-two! I have a life. Please I -" "I'll bring your puppy here if you want. But you'll never see your apartment or anything you know again." What? "No. ." Here come the tears. "So I won't have anything? Please don't do this to me. I promise on my life! I won't tell anyone. This never happened-" "Enough," He says sternly and I hiccup. "Yes or no?" "Don't you have a heart?" I whisper, looking up at him and I thought I saw his gaze soften until his next words. "You can't have a heart in this business."