For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,139

the clock kept going. Evidently, the red team had held it long enough to get a timer bonus. Twelve seconds left. Not enough for either Rhaven or Riley to make it back and change the outcome.

When the base was locked in for the red team, the women all pushed their keyboards back and pulled off their headphones, grinning at each other like that hadn't been the most kickass thing Psyc had seen in a long time. They hadn't been taking it easy on Zara and Kate. Yet the newer players were the ones claiming the victory.

Just as Braden stepped up to announce the win, the balding man lifted a hand to his mouth and yelled, "That's what happens when you cut your own balls off, you piece of shit."

Braden just tossed the mic away, hopped over the counter and stormed into the crowd with his eyes locked on the man, nothing but murder in his gaze.

"Don't fucking talk about my girlfriend like that or I will make you bleed!" he roared.

Chapter 46

Rhaven watched Braden hop the counter and rush the man who'd jeered at her. "Braden, no!" she screamed.

He ignored her and kept going. Rhaven moved to follow, but Riley - of all people - grabbed her. "Sometimes violence is the answer," she told Rhaven.

"He's going to get arrested," Rhaven shot back.

Kate just chuckled. "I have a feeling that's not a big deal to him."

In the crowd, more people were pushing closer, and it was all happening so fast. Void from one side, Psyc and Knock from another. Murder from the back. Faces she knew were all pushing to get to the guy, and Rhaven couldn't see how this would end well.

When Braden reached him, there was no exchange of angry words. Braden simply swung, punching the asshole right in the face. The guy dropped, and Braden followed, shoving his fist into the man's gut twice in quick succession. Rhaven yelled, but she wasn't the only one. The entire crowd was screaming. Some were egging Braden on. Others were calling for help. Combined, it sounded like pure insanity.

Phones had appeared in people's hands, all aimed at the two men on the ground. In the distance, she could hear someone announcing that they were security. The crowd made it hard for anyone to get close enough to break it up, and Braden had once said he didn't know how to stop hitting.

"That," he roared, throwing another punch into the man, "is my fucking girlfriend. I don't give a damn if you like it or not. You're not talking to her like that. I will break you first, you stupid, pathetic piece of shit!"

Then Cynister forced his way through the bodies to tackle Braden. For a moment, Rhaven was sure her boyfriend was about to turn on him, and he was quite a bit larger than Cyn. But Cyn was a scrappy little guy. He wrenched Braden around, shoving his face onto the tile, and twisted an arm behind his back like he'd done it a million times before. Then again, he probably had.

"Stop!" Cyn demanded.

Braden heaved, trying to force Cyn off of him, but it didn't work. A split second later, Void reached them, adding his own weight. Braden roared in frustration, but he was done. The man on the floor, however, had both hands clasped over his face, and red was visible on them. He was bleeding, and she could only guess how badly he was hurt.

Then Psyc rushed in, grabbing the guy by the shirt to haul him to his feet. "Think you're all hot shit now?" he demanded, shoving the fool away from the booth. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Did you trash her room?"

She saw the man's eyes widen in surprise, but then the guy shoved back, doing his best to act tough. "Oh, so you're fucking him too?"

"Braden?" Psyc asked. "No!"

"Ethan," the man said. "The faggot in a skirt."

"Rhaven," Psyc snarled before shoving his fist, underhanded, into the man's diaphragm. "Her name is Rhaven. I don't care if you like it. I don't care if you have thoughts about her lifestyle. It's her life, not yours."

That was when Knock pushed in to grab the guy, yanking him from Psyc's grasp. "Security!" he yelled. "Over here."

"I want him out of my sight," Psyc growled.

Knock flashed him a devious little smile. "More worried about Braden than you, bro. C'mon, fuckhead. Time to go."

Murder moved in to assist, and Adam appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The