What is it about those three words that when they're put together can be more destructive than a nuclear bomb? I love you. So simple, so effective and so not what Carmen Rivers had ever expected to hear from the man sitting on the other side of the table. In most cases hearing it from someone you were close to and intimate with would be a good thing. For Carmen, it meant nothing but trouble and considering she was now in an interrogation room at the police station, she was in it big time.

Looking up uncertainly she met Mason's confident gaze. On cue he reached out to take her hand, which she only moved away from. All of this was because he said I love you and she believed him. It wasn't the first time those three words had sucked her in though she did vow it would be the last. The room was silent as the men waited for her to recover from her outburst of tears and as Carmens resolve hardened, so did everything else. She was not a woman who cried easily, but her emotions had got the best of her. Picking up the the cheap foam cup of cold coffee she quickly put it down, unable to take a sip of it.

"Mrs. Rivers, Detective Rogers believes you can help us. I know our allegations against your husband must be surprising to you, but you are not the only one to be deceived by him." Agent Evans offered a fake smile in Carmen's direction, trying to keep her on side. Nothing had been going his way with this case and she was his only lead. When Mason had befriended her a few months ago, he saw a way into Rivers corrupt world through his wife. Now here she was, red-eyed, broken and about to agree to whatever they asked her to do.

"We can protect you if you can just help-"

"Help? You're asking me to kill myself!" She retorted, unimpressed. When Mason had told her he had a way out of the world she was trapped in, this wasn't what she expected. Once he told her who he really was, she should have ended their affair immediately, but no. She wanted to be a good person, leave it all behind and start again as the person Mason made Carmen believe she was. It didn't help that she was sucker for a pair of blue eyes and lust filled promises made at midnight.

"Not at all Mrs. Rivers. We can offer you protection, and he will never know it was you!" Agent Evans promised, gripping his pen so tightly he felt the first crack start in the plastic casing. "No one knows you are here and no one except present company even know this conversation is taking place."

Carmen didn't believe that for a second.

"Now you know Carm, just think about it?" Mason interrupted and taking the way out, Carmen nodded.

"Yes, I'll think about it Mason," she answered curtly, "sorry. I'll think about it Detective Rogers."

For someone who had thought a way out was a good idea, she suddenly wasn't so sure. Her conscience was telling her no, to get out leave while she could, making her doubt that this was really the breath of life she had been looking for. Ever since she had been forced to marry Denton by her parents, she had wanted an out. Here it was, so why did she suddenly not want it?

Looking between the two men in front of her, she only frowned and Mason could see how quickly her mind was racing as she started to tap her foot in agitation. Agent Evans could see it too and though he had his suspicions on what his partners relationship with this woman actually was, there was no room to let it spook her out of helping him.

"Carm-" He started, trying to reassure her.

"Yes Mrs. Rivers, think about it. How about you give us your answer tomorrow?" Agent Evens interrupted, glaring at the younger detective as a sign to back off.

Standing, Carmen adjusted the tightly fitted skirt and tossed her long chocolate ponytail over her shoulder before shaking both men's hands. "Tomorrow then."

Leaving through the back entrance, Carmen didn't stop when Mason called out for her. He managed to catch up as she reached her car and stopped the door from closing behind her.

"Just think of all the people he has been behind the murder of, the lives he has ruined! Think about what he's done to you Carm!" Mason pleaded. He had seen the bruises on her skin and heard her crying in the night, not to mention the files back in his office that they needed her to get the evidence for so they could proceed with charging him. It all had to stop.

"It's not that simple Mason. You know it's not that simple!"

"You don't love him, you don't owe him anything. Don't even think of this as you and me, look at the bigger picture!" Mason let the door go, running his hands through his short blonde hair roughly.

The bigger picture? It really wasn't that simple either. Denton knew people. He did things, illegal things. Sure Carmen had convinced Mason and Agent Evans she didn't know what her husband did exactly, but she wasn't an idiot and was more involved than they needed to know about. No one just walked away from him and got away with it, especially if they went to the police.

In hopes of convincing her further, Mason leaned into the car, taking her face in his hands and kissed her as if it was for the last time. Carmen couldn't resist, eagerly responding until it dawned on her they were in a very public space and who knew who could be watching. Reluctantly she pushed him back, ending their moment.

"I love you Carm!" Mason promised, stepping back onto the sidewalk.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow Mason." And with that, she closed her door and drove away.

-x-

Walking inside the mansion, it was never what Carmen had imaged her life would be like this. Her home lacked the cozy comfort of the place she had grown up in. It felt more like a museum than a place to one-day raise children in. Not that she had given much thought to actually having them. Her heels clicked against the tiles as she went towards the staircase and just as she was half way up Denton appeared at the top. Swirling the golden liquid in his glass, the ice-cubes clinked together before he took a sip.

"Where have you been?"

Carmen hesitated and taking a deep breath kept going. "Out."

"That's not an answer!" He growled, grabbing her arm roughly as she passed.

"I went shopping, sorry didn't realize I had to keep a log of my activities for you."

"No bags?" He looked behind her expectantly; his wife never came home from shopping empty-handed.

"Not today."

"Carm," he spoke softer, which only made her nervous.

"Let me go Denny."

"Answer the question, darling."

Carmen's dark brown eyes narrowed slightly, searching her husbands for a sign he knew the truth to her whereabouts this afternoon. The smirk that soon appeared only managed to enhance his handsome face and told her all she needed to know.

“Well?” He kept his tone low, raspier now and despite the complicated nature of their relationship, Denton knew Carmen better than she thought he did.

"Fine. I was browsing, not shopping. Happy?" She snapped sarcastically, pulling her arm free and carried on to their bedroom more so to put some distance between them. She hated him, yet he knew all the things to do to have her doubting herself and her feelings. Right now wasn’t the time for him to get under her skin.

"You've always been a terrible liar." Denton turned, taking a moment to appreciate his wife's ass, the perfect curve only enhanced with the tight white fabric covering it.

"Not this time!" She called out lightly, disappearing into the wardrobe to change.

"We'll see."

The response wasn't what she was expecting, and leaning backwards Carmen peeked out into the bedroom to find herself alone.