Page 109 of Wade’s Wrath

“The club could pay for it,” he offered.

“I don't want the club paying for me,” she said.

“Then Harlow could,” he offered.

“I don't want Harlow paying for me either,” she insisted.

“Fine.” He shrugged. “You could stay here another night if the doctors allow it.”

“They won't, and I’d be in this same situation tomorrow when they finally shove me out of here,” she said.

“You could stay with Princess and Butcher,” he said.

“Isn't that basically like staying at the clubhouse?” she asked. “Plus, I don’t want to bother them or Harlow and Wade. I hate feeling like a third wheel,” she said.

Ripper laughed. “No. Butcher's house has less yelling than the clubhouse.”

“Just less?” she asked. “Do they fight a lot?” she asked.

“Well, no, but I’m sure that they have disagreements, and Princess puts him in his place. I’ve already told you that my Prez is an asshole sometimes,” he reminded.

Sarah took another sip of her coffee. “Where would you choose to stay?” she asked. The words came out before she could stop them. Ripper went still, and she almost took them back.

Then he said, “You mean, where would I stay if I were you?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Clubhouse,” he said.

Sarah frowned. “Why?”

“It’s got security, and there are always people around, so you won’t be alone,” he said. He shrugged. “You know the place has cameras, and brothers coming and going. Prospects at the gate.” The words should have reassured her. Instead, something cold slid down her back when she thought of all the men coming and going. The place where she was kept for eight months had all of that too, a gate, cameras, and men coming and going, and she wasn’t safe there.

Ripper must have picked up on her hesitation because he immediately corrected himself. “Bad sell, sorry,” he said. “I guess that guys coming and going and being watched isn’t as comforting to you as I made it sound.

Sarah let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. “Yeah, sorry. It sounds a lot like the place I just came from.”

“Okay.” He moved farther from the bed. “Forget about the gate.”

“Hard to do after you’ve mentioned it,” she said.

“Yeah.” His jaw tightened. “The clubhouse isn't locked from the inside.”

Sarah looked at him. “What?”

“The room Butcher's giving you has a lock on the door,” he said. Her stomach twisted, and Ripper shook his head. “You would control the lock.”

She stared at him. “Nobody else has a key?”

“Butcher probably does because it's his clubhouse, but I'll tell him to give it to you,” Ripper offered.

“Ripper—” she started.

“And I'll change the damn lock if you want,” he insisted.

She blinked up at him. “You'd do that?”

“Yep,” he breathed.