For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,141

we won't let anything happen to you. Not us gamer girls, not the guys, and certainly not Jason."

Pulling away, Rhaven looked at Riley next. "Do you think I just ruined my chances for a contract?"

Riley's shoulders slumped and the woman sighed too deeply. "Rhaven..."

"Oh no," she whimpered. "I need that. I don't have any other way to prove I'm seriously involved in this industry, and I need a new job, but - "

Riley grabbed her arm. "Breathe!" she snapped. "Look at me, Rhaven. It's not this. It's fucking worse, ok? PBJ just got Asus. Void tried to get you SteelSeries, since Kitty's going to be out for the rest of the year. They fucking passed, and you know why?"

"Because she's trans?" Zara asked.

Riley nodded once. "Because they aren't sure if you would alienate a large percentage of their customer base. Needed to get more data or some bullshit. Logitech said they weren't looking right now, but they went to talk to that M0us guy. They're not coming, Rhaven. It's why it took me so long to show up, because Logan was trying to get you just one contract, and no one's biting. The gamer press is having a field day with you. Half of them are using male pronouns. The other half is cheering for representation."

"No," Rhaven breathed.

Riley just opened the doorway and all but forced her inside. "Sit down, chica. You just got even more pale than normal." She guided her to the edge of a crate holding some of the equipment and then squatted before her. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but I know that if it went the other way, I'd want to know."

"They're not going to give me a sponsorship because I'm trans?" she asked again.

"They say it's because they need to research their options, or see what's available, or some other excuse, but yeah." Riley rubbed her arm. "Rhaven, it's too hot of a topic right now, and too polarizing. It's not going to happen, and the PLG will want to be sure you're consistent before they make an offer."

"But I'm not," she pointed out. "I'm not as good as you or Void. I'm just..." Her breath rushed out. "I'm so fucked."

"You just made about forty-five thousand," Riley said. "Give or take, but that's a good chunk of cash. It'll get you started, and we're all here for you."

"But I don't want to have everyone else pay for me!" Rhaven yelled, her frustration boiling over.

That was enough to make someone head their way, the sound of steps making all three women look over just as Braden rounded the corner. "Rhaven," he breathed.

"You'll be fine," Riley promised before backing away.

Then she and Zara left, leaving the two of them alone. Braden knelt before her, palming the side of her face as if checking to see if she was ok. Her, the one who hadn't just gotten into a fist fight!

"Are they going to press charges?" she asked, easing his hands away.

"No," Braden assured her. "That guy? He plays under the name M1sEr, and he's a known dick. He tried to say he'd have me arrested, and Adam did his asshole rich guy thing again, but he can't ban him. I kinda fucked that up when I punched him. Anyway, Chance made it clear that heckling our booth with transphobic slurs qualifies as a hate crime, something about interrupting business, and a lot of other shit. I dunno, I only caught half of it, but M1sEr basically said we could fuck off and then went to pack his shit."

"M1sEr," Rhaven mumbled trying to place the name. "Wasn't that the guy that started saying I was trans?"

"If you want to put it that way," Braden agreed. "Said you weren't a girl in the chat lobby before the first round."

She nodded. "Then he can go to hell. And Braden? I'm not going to get sponsored."

He let out a heavy sigh. "What did they say?"

She just looked up into his beautiful blue eyes. "That it's because I'm trans, it seems. Void talked to them, and I'm too controversial. But no matter how hard I try, it doesn't matter. I just can't fucking win, and I don't know what to do anymore!"

He leaned in and kissed her gently. "You're going to come upstairs with me and drink your problems away. You're going to tell Psyc that you appreciate him standing up for you. Then, when all of that is done, you're going to come back to my suite and pass