Page 115 of Sparking Sara

“Please.”

“I didn’t go to the police, and in exchange, Oliver agreed to pimp the shit out of my work. It’s the most genius move I’ve ever made. I’ve made twice the money in the past three months than I made in the past year.”

My jaw drops. “You’re blackmailing him? That makes you no better than him, Benny.”

More laughter comes through the phone, and I get the idea this guy may be out of his mind on drugs. “You sit on your high horse and preach to me? Well, let me tell you something you obviously don’t remember. While I was being fucked over by Oliver Compton, his girlfriend was busy being fucked as well—by me.”

All of my breath escapes me, along with more tears. Everything I’ve learned in the past five minutes is like something from a Lifetime movie. Only it’smylife.

“I … I have to go.”

“Sure thing, baby. I hope you get your memory back. Because if you do, you’ll know I was the best fuck you ever had.”

I hang up the phone and put my head between my legs. But it doesn’t help. My stomach retches and I quickly raise the lid of the toilet and lose my dinner.

My phone starts ringing. It’s Denver.

I wash my mouth out with a drink from the faucet and then answer.

“I’m going upstairs to confront him.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he says.

“What would you have me do, Denver? Run away without my purse or my passport? They’re both upstairs in his room.”

“Shit.”

I can almost hear Denver thinking.

“Leave anyway,” he says. “Go to the police station. I’m sure they can help you retrieve your belongings.”

I look down at my bare feet. “I don’t even have shoes on. And I need answers,” I tell him. “You have no idea what’s going through my head right now. I have to know.”

“Sara—”

“I have to know, Denver.”

“Fuck!” he shouts, and I hear the sound of something hitting a wall. “Then take me with you. Leave me on the call, that way I can at least know if you’re in danger.”

“You think he’sdangerous?”I ask, horrified at the situation. “Oh, my God. Do you think he had something to do with my accident?”

“No. The report says it was a blown tire. There was no evidence of tampering. And I had my friend run a background check on him. He has a misdemeanor for some forged checks, but no history of violence that we know about. Still, you can’t be sure what he’ll do. Look at the lengths he’s gone to.”

“So, we didn’t live together?” I ask, my voice shaking.

“Nope. Oliver has lived in Brooklyn for the past four years. His landlord says Oliver has been trying to sub-lease his apartment for the past month. He said he was living there until mid-June, when he moved out some of his belongings and most of his clothes.”

“Mid-June.” My stomach turns again. “Oh, God, Denver. He’s been playing me this whole time. We broke up. I never agreed to marry him. As far as I know, he never even asked me. Why is he doing this?”

“My best guess is money,” he says. “Or maybe revenge. That’s why you have to be careful. In fact, I think you and Anna were on your way to see him when you had the accident.”

“What? But he was out of the country,” I say.

“Apparently not. There are some text messages between you and Anna. It looks like she found out that he was selling knock-offs ofherpaintings as well. She texted you to warn you about what he was doing. You told her about Benny, and you wanted to go to the police, but she talked you out of it. She was going to pick you up so you could confront him.”

My head slumps forward and my chin falls to my chest. “So he was never out of town after all? And he only showed up at the hospital after you told him I lost my memory. Oh, God, Denver. It all makes sense now.”

There’s a knock on the door. “Everything okay, hun?”

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