For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,79

you can. You're just Rhaven now. It's like taking back what they did, removing their power, and claiming it as our own."

She nodded. "I like that." So why were her eyes starting to burn?

"You're finally free," Kate told her. "I can't promise this is going to be easy, but I swear that I will be with you every step of the way."

"Even when I lose my family?" Rhaven asked.

"If you do, then you already have a new one waiting," Kate insisted.

Her eyes were starting to well up. "No one's going to want to be around me when the reporters start asking."

"I will," Kate said again. "Adam, Riley, and yes, Psyc. He made it clear that he's pissed and has things to say. Braden will too. Cynister already knows. Void, Knock, Murder, Kitty, and everyone else doesn't care, Rhaven. We know. We're well aware that there will be shit, but the guys said that Riley got the same. I got doxxed and death threats - and they didn't bail on me."

"This is different!" Rhaven whimpered.

Kate grabbed her arm. "It is and it isn't. This is your secret that just got thrown out there. At the same time, it's still our friend who's being attacked. Doesn't matter how they're attacking you, we will close ranks and keep you safe, ok?"

Rhaven reached up to wipe at her eyes. "You talked to Braden?"

"Yeah. I have contacts at Deviant because of the tournament stuff. I told him, and he read the article online."

"And?"

"And he isn't scared off," Kate insisted. "He wants to help. He was pissed about it. I'm pretty sure he was also worried about you. Rhaven, he's not going anywhere."

"I yelled at him."

Kate nodded. "Yeah. So?"

"And I told him not to push me."

"So?" Kate asked again.

"I'm not worth this," Rhaven mumbled. "All of you helping? Him? My dad!" The last was a whimper. "I'm too much work, and you're all going to get sick of it, and my whole life is ruined..." The tears were starting to win, but she just couldn't stop. "I wanted to do so much, and now I have to start all over, and I don't even know where to start. I don't have a home. I got my first boyfriend and lost him. Even if I win, the only thing people will ask is if I have a dick - and my brother is going to lose all his friends and he'll blame me!"

No, her words didn't really make sense, but that was how the thoughts were rushing into her head, and Kate seemed to understand. She just stood there, letting Rhaven blubber about it all. When the tears began to stream down Rhaven's cheeks, Kate rubbed her arm. When she began crying too hard to get out any real words, though, Kate surged in to hug her again.

"Shh," she breathed. "It's going to be ok, Rhae. We'll make it be ok, and it won't be perfect, but fuck all of them. You are one of the best gamer girls in the PLG. You are an amazing woman, and so strong. We can do this, and we're going to do this together."

"I'm not strong!" Rhaven wailed.

"You're just bending," Kate swore. "Grieving, even. That doesn't mean you aren't strong. It means you're real. It means you're human! It's ok to cry, sweetie. I got you. Just let it all out."

Those words were all the encouragement she needed. Wrapping her arms around Kate's back, Rhaven pressed her face into Kate's shoulder and stopped fighting it. The tears came. The snot followed. Her mascara and eyeliner ran, staining Kate's shirt, but she couldn't make herself let go. Right now, her best friend was the only thing holding her together - barely.

"KoG tried to destroy you," Kate whispered, "and they won. They took away the life you used to have." She hugged even harder. "But that just means you have nothing to hide and no reason to hold back. They tried to destroy you and just ended up making you stronger. This is your second chance, Rhaven. They stripped away your chains, so let's show them what that means."

"Tomorrow," Rhaven breathed.

"Yeah," Kate agreed. "Because tonight is going to take a lot more whiskey."

Chapter 27

Kate kept refilling Rhaven's glass until the world became blurry. Sometime after that, Rhaven found herself in bed, but how she got there was kinda vague. It was a really nice bed, though, and massive. The lights of the city sparkled in the darkness, lulling her to sleep. They