“This isn’t a game. She shouldn’t have to handle herself.”

“You really do have feelings for her. I can’t recall if you were ever this protective of Charlotte.”

“Probably one of the many mistakes I made that led to the end of my marriage. But I’m trying not to make mistakes with her. I’m in love with her. She deserves respect and kindness. I won’t have anything else.”

His mother raised a brow his way. “You’re introducing her to a world she’s a novice in. She’ll have to earn that respect. And I suggest you let her. She’ll draw blood a few times and that will be that.”

“I’m not interested in this social engineering discussion. If anyone f**ks with her, I will end them.”

His mother’s delighted laughter surprised him into silence for several long moments.

“What?”

“All I can say is that it’s about time. You were a late bloomer for other things so I suppose it’s only right you were to love as well. Love is exactly what you’re feeling. Do you know, once when I was twenty, one of your father’s ex-girlfriends—well no, her mother—spoke to me rather harshly. And your father took her aside and whatever he said worked because no one ever messed with me again. But I had to stay hard. And she will too. Being with a Warner comes with responsibilities. That’s reality. She’ll have to scorch her own earth and again, I think you need to let her to a certain extent.”

“Every time I think I have you figured out, you surprise me.”

“It’s one of the mysteries of motherhood, darling. Now, you can make yourself useful and get me a glass of champagne.”

Still amused by the interchange between Jonah and his mother, Raven made her way across the room toward the ladies’ room.

Daisy joined her. “Well, you’re not bleeding.”

Raven must have looked confused because Daisy explained. “I take it this was your first time meeting Liesl?”

“Ah. Yes. She’s all right. She and Jonah are having a discussion. Just imagine air quotes around it. But really, she’s fine. She pushed, I pushed back.”

“Everyone is afraid of her. And for good reason, she’s pretty scary. But she respects other strong people. As long as they’re not a threat to her family anyway. I bet she thinks you’re fabulous.”

“She’s got a lot to lose.” Raven shrugged. “I get it.”

“If she thought you were a threat to it, you’d be bleeding. Trust me.”

Raven paused to reapply her lipstick and check her hair, and that’s when she made Gwen Warner’s acquaintance.

Raven turned to find the other woman standing there, a sneer on her lips, hands at her waist.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you your face would freeze if you did that?”

Surprise skittered over the other woman’s features.

“I see Jonah has picked up on Levi’s bad habits. You’re nearly as bad as that whore Levi is shacked up with.”

“I take it you’re Gwen. Who I am is of no concern to you.”

“Not really, no.”

She turned back to the mirror and Gwen stomped up and grabbed her arm.

Daisy came out of the stall. “Whoa! Get your hands off her.”

“You’re about to make a very bad mistake.” Raven leaned in, her nose nearly touching Gwen’s. “You can let go, or I can make you.”

Daisy pushed Gwen back and Gwen sputtered some incoherent rage.

“You listen here, you’re trash!”

Raven stalked to her again. “You need to get the f**k out of my face. I’m beginning to wonder just why you’re so concerned about the love lives of your husband’s brothers. Are you pissy because you wanted a different Warner?”

“I ask myself that same question all the time.” Daisy’s voice was laced with a hostility Raven had never heard her use.

“Look at yourself. Then tell me you’re worthy of the Warner name.”

Raven turned and looked at herself in the mirrors, pausing to blot her lipstick and touch her hair up. “I’m pretty fabulous. Daisy over there looks like a magazine ad.”

“You have tattoos!”

Raven laughed, her anger sliding away. “I totally do. I give them to other people too. Now you want to tell me what your real issue is? Because I’m really bored with this.”

“You two are not right for this family.”

“First of all, I don’t really care what you think I’m right or not right for. I don’t give a shit about you one way or the other, so your opinions on anything really are totally meaningless. Secondly, this seems like a plot from a movie. Jonah isn’t next in line to be king. If he wants to date a tattoo artist, what’s it to you? You got your Warner and your ring. Be satisfied with that.”

“Jonah is the oldest. He’s going to take over when his father dies. He needs a suitable wife. As the only wife in this generation—”

Raven looked to Daisy and tipped her chin toward the door. “Does she always yap like this? I’m hungry and Jonah promised sushi after the benefit.”

Daisy grinned as she washed her hands. “Sadly, she does.”

Raven went to the door and opened it before looking back over her shoulder at Gwen. “Bored now. Let’s just leave it at this—if you touch me again, I’m going to punch you so hard you lose a tooth or two. Trash like me doesn’t take kindly to being manhandled by dried-up bitter bitches who wished they’d been able to f**k their way higher up the societal food chain.”