Hell Transporter (Between) by Cyndi Tefft

a long shot.
    “Who is he? And why haven’t you told me about him?” Aiden’s voice had turned to ice behind me.
    Shit.
    I had to force myself to turn around and meet his gaze. All the adrenaline I’d felt before suddenly deserted me, and I crumpled onto the bed.
    “He was my boyfriend last year, before the accident. And I didn’t tell you about him because I haven’t even thought about Ravi since I left school.”
    “Your boyfriend, eh? You told me you’d never loved another, in my uncle’s château in Versailles. Or were you lying to me, then?”
    I rubbed my hands over my face in frustration and took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to make this right. “No, I was never in love with him. He’s just a good friend. Well, at least he was.” I looked at the door for a second, realizing we’d never be friends again after this. My heart squeezed in my chest.
    “Well, he’s obviously still in love with you. Or did you not see that?”
    I nodded numbly but couldn’t think of anything to say. He sat down next to me and gently pulled on my necklace so that the charm lay draped over two fingers of his hand.
    “And this belongs to him?” He was trying to mask the hurt in his voice, but it came through loud and clear, tearing me in two.
    I unclasped the necklace and dropped it into his hand. “He gave it to me for Christmas. It’s a music note because we were in a band together. I told you about the band and our concert when I… well, when I thought you couldn’t hear me.” His hand closed around the chain and he grunted in recognition. “I used it to wear your ring around my neck.” A muscle in his jaw twitched at the mention of my wedding ring.
    “You can have the necklace,” I said. “Maybe you could sell it if you need to, if that would help.” I started to get up off the bed but Aiden put a hand out to stop me. His expression had changed—his eyes looked softer, far away—but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
    “Is he the one who was driving the car the night ye died?”
    “Yeah, that was Ravi. He broke his leg and got a nasty gash in his forehead, but he slept on the couch in my hospital room because he didn’t want me to have to be alone.” The memory made my voice catch and I fought to keep it together. “I didn’t remember anything at first, when I came back. I was drugged and in a lot of pain. I’d have dreams here and there and nothing made sense, but Ravi was with me the night it all came flooding back. I was screaming and thrashing that I wanted to die and he was there…” I stopped, unable to speak, remembering how awful it had been. Aiden stroked my hand, giving me the strength to continue.
    “I wasn’t the same anymore, once I remembered you. But Ravi thought it was because of the accident, and he blamed himself. I couldn’t tell him the truth and he could never understand why I had to break it off with him. He thought I couldn’t forgive him for the accident.” I looked down at our hands clasped together. A tear dropped from my cheek onto his skin. Then another. And another. He pulled me into his arms, settling my head against his chest.
    “Och, love. Dinna cry.” He rocked me back and forth like a child and I exhausted myself, letting go of the pain of that moment when the memory of him and all that I’d lost suddenly became clear. Wiping my face, I looked up at him with a weak smile.
    “I can’t believe you’re really here. After all that.” I gripped his hand in my own. “I love Ravi, as a friend, though God knows he’ll probably never speak to me again after today. But Aiden, you…” I couldn’t even find words to describe what he meant to me.
    He pressed his thumb to my lip. “Be still, mo chridhe . I understand.” He pulled his arm off my shoulders and dropped the necklace into my hand, curling my fingers closed over it. “I want you to keep it. It was a gift, and a special one at that.”
    He kissed me softly and then stood up. “I need