For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,188

was still so gentle with her, and yet she knew he was pissed. Clearly, this was going to be a fight, and not one she'd expected.

Without stopping, he pushed open the door to the room that still had their stuff and guided her in. "I don't think you realize how fucking dangerous this idea is," he snapped. "The last time someone tried to push these crazies, she ended up with a gun to her head! Let us deal with it. We've been doing this for a few years now, and we've fucking got it figured out, Rhaven."

"And this time you need me," she said. "Braden, I'm done hiding. Did you know that some girl sent me a message today? I made that post admitting I'm trans so that they'll at least stop speculating, and she saw it. That was the thing that gave her the courage to tell her parents. She's still in school, Brae. She's not going to wait until she's twenty-two like I did because she realized she's not alone, and you know what? You can't do that for her. Chance can't. Sam, Amy, or even Dez can't stand up and tell her it's ok to be trans and proud of her new life. I'm the only one here who knows what it's like to do this!"

"And you're going to get hurt," he said. "Damn it, baby. You don't have to be everyone's hero, ok? That's what I'm for! Let me take the hits. You've had too many in your life."

"I've been fucking pampered," she shot back. "When you came to see me, you did that. You accepted that I wasn't ready to come out and made me feel like it was ok. My family bent over backwards to make me feel safe. When KoG outed me, Kate and Adam padded my fall. They not only got me a place to stay, but they bought me a whole new wardrobe so I can look like I feel I should. Not once have I had to worry, but most people can't say that!"

"Yet you still worried," he shot back. "Rhaven, if you talk to the press, you know what the story is going to be? What's in your panties. That's all anyone will care about."

"That's all they want to know now," she told him. "Why do you think it's what I led with for so long?"

"So how's that going to help?" he asked. "Never mind that one of those crazies out there might be whacked enough to take a shot at you. Or to jump the fence and try something. Plus, when you're on all the channels, all the time, what do you think is going to happen when we go to get groceries? Hey, you're that tranny, aren't you?"

She clenched her jaw, knowing that he wasn't using that phrase for himself. It was the only thing that kept her from slapping him. Mostly because she knew he had a point. She also hated it, but this was not something she would back down on. She owed Leila that much.

So she stopped to pull in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I'm doing this, Braden."

"And I'm not letting you," he insisted. "I'll talk to Chance. He'll listen to me. We can have him and Dez handle it."

"I don't fucking want him to listen to you," she said. "Jesus Christ, Braden. Will you stop trying to stop me? You're supposed to be on my side."

"And I am," he told her. "Rhaven, can't you wrap that pretty little head around the fact that I'm fucking worried for you? These people want to kill you, baby. They want to hurt you the same way they hurt Dez, and I'm not about to let that happen. I couldn't help her, but I can fucking do something for you, and I'll be damned if I'm worried about my fucking job more than my girl!"

"What, because you like it when I'm vulnerable?" she asked. "Fuck you, Braden. Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe, just maybe, I don't want to always be the weak and fragile little girl? Maybe you met me at my weakest point, but I have no intention of staying that way! And you know what? If you can't care about me when I'm strong, then this?" She waved her finger between them. "It's over before it even started. I don't want to be your little china doll."

She pushed past him, intending to leave, but he grabbed her arm