THE QUEEN OF THE BLACK RAVENS

ight I lost everything. I grew up in the Black Ravens Motorcycle Club. To outsiders, the Black Ravens were dangerous men who lived by their own rules. To me, they were family. I had spent my entire

landed on Jaxon. Then she smiled. And Jaxon smiled back. My heart sank. Slowly, the girl walked toward us. Nobody said a word. The tension inside the clubhouse was unbearable. "Jaxon," she whispered. He swallowed hard. "Isabella." I frowned. "You know her?" Nobody answered. I looked around. Ryder looked uncomfortable. Mason was staring at the floor. Cole wouldn't look at me. Ethan looked angry. Fear gripped my chest. "What's going on?" Jaxon finally looked at me. For the first time in six years, I couldn't read his expression. "Aria, we need to talk." My blood ran cold. No. No, no, no. People never said those words unless something terrible was about to happen. I forced a smile. "Okay. Let's talk." "Not here." "Why not here?" Silence. The entire room seemed to hold its breath. Then Isabella stepped forward. "I'm sorry." I stared at her. "Sorry for what?" Tears filled her eyes. That terrified me. Because strangers didn't apologize unless they had done something terrible. I looked back at Jaxon. "What is she talking about?" Jaxon closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was something inside them that I had never seen before. Guilt. "I'm sorry, Aria." My world stopped. Because deep down I already knew. And whatever he was about to say was going to destroy me. "I've fallen in love with someone else." Everything inside me shattered. And standing beside him, holding his hand, was the girl who had just walked into my life. The girl who was about to take everything from me. Isabella. I stared at him, certain I had heard him wrong. "What?" Jaxon's face turned pale, but he didn't take back his words. "I didn't mean for this to happen." A broken laugh escaped my lips. "You didn't mean for what to happen? Falling in love with someone else? Or humiliating me in front of everyone I love?" "Aria" "No." I shook my head, tears burning my eyes. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me this is some joke." Nobody spoke. Not Jaxon. Not Ryder. Not Mason. Not Cole. Not Ethan. The silence was answer enough. I looked around the clubhouse. Every single person was watching me with pity. Pity. I hated pity. "How long?" I whispered. Jaxon looked away. "How long have you been with her?" He remained silent. "Jaxon." "A few months." My heart shattered. "A few months," I repeated softly. "A few months while you were still with me?" He nodded. I took a step back as if he had slapped me. "Wow." Ryder moved toward me. "Aria, let us explain." I looked at him in disbelief. "Explain what, Ryder? Explain why all of you look