Reality Hero (15 page)

Zane held her to him tightly, relishing her satin skin as he clutched her in his arms, afraid to let go. They fit perfectly. Holding her made him whole and happier than he’d felt in years. Zane hoped Dina felt the same way, but he knew he still had a long battle ahead if he wanted to keep her. He still felt resistance when he probed the edges of her thoughts.

* * * *

Dina slid off him, and left the bed. Picking up her robe, she put her arms into the sleeves and tied the sash, leaving the room without a word. The look on his face was making her resistance to his charms crumble. That couldn’t happen for both their sakes. Yep, she was already arming herself for battle. With a huff of determination, he got up, still totally naked, and followed her into the small space of the kitchenette. Shame filled her. She’d put her needs ahead of his well being once again. She shouldn’t have slept with him, even if it had been amazing. They couldn’t be together.

Zane grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around. He tilted her chin up so they were looking directly at each other. “Di, don’t do this. It’s good between us. I’ve always loved you. I can’t seem to stop loving you, but you have to let all your worry go. Whatever keeps you from trusting this thing we have, this emotion between us, just let me in and accept that you love me as much as I love you.”

Stricken, she couldn’t deny the truth of what he said. She did love him. To endanger him or prevent him from doing the good work he’d been doing would’ve been the ultimate act of selfishness.

“Sex is sex. I thought guys liked it when a girl didn’t read anything into sex. You’re a big boy—a very big boy—and you should know when a girl only wants your hunky bod. Get over yourself, sweetie, because I don’t have to love you to fuck you.” It tore her heart out to say those brutal words.

He looked surprised but managed to keep his expression blank. She knew him well enough to know when he was bluffing, and her words had hurt him. With so many mixed up emotions flowing through her, being cold to him was very difficult.

Zane went back into her room. She stood quietly, staring down at the water glass in her hand before walking into the bedroom. She wanted to try to soften what she’d said, but when she entered the room, he and his clothing were gone. Glancing at her cellphone, she debated calling him to apologize. With a tired frown, she decided to leave the situation alone. Hopefully, he’d return for the mid-day filming, and she could try to give him her apology then. Dina lay down and curled into a tight ball of misery.

Chapter 9

The camera crew had caught many arguments and whispered alliances among the contestants. Dina sat in the crew’s mobile studio reviewing some footage and making notes. This group was perfect, and she felt glad she’d chosen to put the sisters in the same cabin. They seemed to bicker worse than any other pair. Some of it was very funny, and definitely making her final cut. She began to get nervous. Zane hadn’t shown up at the time she’d been expecting him. She prayed her little act hadn’t made him change his mind about helping her.

The crew began setting up the props for his selection of his three favorites. If he didn’t show, she had a few things she could shoot, but it would really hinder production. Frowning, she looked down at her cellphone. She’d hoped that Ella would’ve replied to her text. She wanted to know that her sister was okay. The only message she had was from Ervin.

Sweet asses can be fired! Why have you ignored my email?

She didn’t reply. Dina scrolled to Zane’s number and hit
send
. It rang and rang. Just when she thought she’d have to leave him a voicemail, he answered sounding muffled and terrible.

“Zane, are you all right? Do you need help?” Her voice rose with her concern.

A grumble, and then a snort, came over the line.

“What was that?” she asked, seriously worried.

“I’m fine.” His voice was a little louder, but he sounded strange.

“Where are you?”

Snorting again, he gave her another muffled reply. The reception wasn’t perfect there, but she didn’t think it was the phone.

“What? Zane, are you hurt?”

He just mumbled again. She heard him groan, and then the sound of him shifting to sit up. Zane was never sick.
Have those damn abilities finally hurt him?

“You’re scaring me.”

“Dina, I’m still a little drunk. Just leave me the hell alone.”

“You’re drunk? You don’t drink. Why are you drunk?”

He chuckled as if he found humor in her incredulous response. He sighed. “I’ve just lost one of my best friends, and then there’s you…us, whatever. Di, I’m too tired to fight with you today.”

“Zane, I’m so sorry,” she whispered softly. She’d driven the man to drinking—she felt awful.

“Hey, I get it, all right. You don’t love me. Fine. Like you said, I’m a big boy.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

His annoyed growl let her know what he thought of her.

* * * *

She was the only one who truly held the power to hurt him, and she wielded it mercilessly. She had the power to strip his soul bare, leaving him on his knees before her.

“Don’t try to stop me. Keep your powers to yourself. I’m going. I’m done living here with you—all of you. It’s time I found a life.”

He stared at her. Dina took off her ring, grabbed his hand, and slapped the gold band into his palm. She was actually leaving him.

“You should be with Ella. She’s like you. I’m not.”

A chill went through him. How could she tell him she was leaving him because of what those mad men had done to him in the lab? He hadn’t been able to fight it like she had.

“Go save the world. I don’t need you.”

She turned and walked out the door. For a very long time, he stood looking at the faded, peeling paint. She was really gone.

* * * *

Dina wished they’d slept wrapped together, fingers intertwined in their sleep, just like the old days. But she’d not been able to give in to the need, so they found themselves here. How could he have gotten drunk? Zane was a total control freak, and because of his abilities, he feared what might happen if he wasn’t in control. In addition, his memories of his mother made him dislike alcohol on principle.

“Are you at home?” Dina asked with concern.

“Not really your concern, Di. I guess you’re just worried I’m going to hold up your production. Don’t worry, no matter how pissed I am, I won’t let you down. A promise is a promise.” He ended the call abruptly. She gazed down at the phone in her hand, feeling a wave of shock engulf her.

He wasn’t going to be fun to contend with. She continued watching the prop setup for the day, but gave her phone one last look. Quickly disregarding the idea of calling him back before leaving the mobile studio, she slipped her phone into her pocket. She’d just shoot the other footage.

Then she saw him. Zane stood a few feet away in full costume, glaring at her. He looked ready to go and gave no indication he’d just rolled out of bed. It was weird to see him after the night that they’d shared. Her body yearned to partake of the pleasure playground that was Zane Blair, but she managed to restrain herself. Today was going to be a long and awkward day.

As the filming began, Dina wasn’t sure which of the contestants Zane had chosen. She thought she had a good idea, but wasn’t positive. Purity held immunity from going home, due to Zane’s cheating.

“Purity, please step over and take your bouquet, you are safe from being asked to leave.”

Purity smiled sweetly and took a few steps forward so she could take the flowers.

“Mind Man, you must choose the lady who will be leaving the show now, before you tell us who will be joining Purity with a bouquet.”

Dina could tell he’d never considered he’d have to hurt feelings and crush dreams. His words were totally unscripted for this, and she held her breath, wondering what he’d say.

“I have to make a choice on who’ll be going home. I’ve not had the chance to get to know most of you, so this decision isn’t an easy one for me. You’re all beautiful women. Candy, I just don’t think we’d be a very compatible match. I’m sorry. You’ll be the one leaving.”

Candy began a hysterical crying jag. The cameraman gleefully got a close up of every sad tear. Zane seemed disturbed. Dina didn’t need to read minds to know that he hoped her reaction wasn’t going to be the norm. Hugging the pouting girl, all of the women said their goodbyes. Susan appeared relieved, but Dina could tell she was trying to hide it. From the cabin footage she’d seen, it was obvious Candy wasn’t a very considerate roommate.

After Candy went to a waiting limo, the rest reassembled. Zane now had to make his two selections of whom he’d like to get to know better. Dina felt a little surprised by his selection of Virginia. He also picked Amber. Vinny, her favorite cameraman, looked positively gleeful as he zoomed in on Nelly’s sad pout. Dina knew there would be cabin drama with the sisters tonight.

Dina planned for the three contestants and Zane to go sailing together on the lake. Zane liked boats, but had no experience sailing, so they sent an experienced person along to do the actual navigating. Dina had to admit that in his costume, in broad daylight in a boat, he looked ridiculous, even if his body was great. She hid her smile behind her planner. Once the cameraman, captain, reality superhero, and smiling ladies boarded the boat, she opened her planner to note the departure time. They’d be back in two hours, and she’d review the footage when they returned to see what was useable.

She watched the remaining contestants play volleyball for a while and directed her crew to shoot some footage of the recreation. Dina returned to the dock just before it was time for them to come back. She indicated to the cameramen to take their places. She didn’t feel prepared for what she saw. Zane appeared positively devoured by the women. Her sailor seemed like he was enjoying the show, and the cameras on the shore, as well as the one on the boat, seemed to leer forward in an attempt to get every sloppy second of debauchery. Dina was shaking with anger at Zane. He’d just made love to her the night before, and now he was partaking in a floating orgy. Dina cleared her throat to get the group’s attention. She felt irritated that the camera caught her blushing as she tried to sound natural, but her words caught on the lump in her throat.

“Our captain needs to be returning, and we need to have you disembark. The way you’re rocking the boat has me worried you’ll capsize. Can you all swim?” Her comments went largely ignored.

Dina scowled. Vinny chuckled. Zane waved his arm, and Dina couldn’t tell if it meant
help
or
go away
. She saw his other arm go up, and they began waving back and forth in a universal call for help. Dina had to hide a smile behind her planner again. As angry as she was, her sense of humor kicked in, and she found herself snorting and then laughing full force. She waved for the cameras to shut down. Her three cameramen helped her try to pull the women off the star of the show.

Vinny pulled Purity off right away. The other two cameramen had their hands full prying Virginia off. Dina decided to just kindly tap Amber on the shoulder and ask her to back off. She got into the boat, which was a challenge in her heels, and went over to the amorous woman. Lightly, she patted the girl’s shoulder. “Okay, it’s time to go.”

The reaction she received took her completely by surprise. Amber snarled, “I’m not done with him yet.” Then she gave Dina a shove. Between the heels and the rocking motion of the boat, Dina shrieked as she lost her balance and tumbled out of the boat. The water was very shallow. She hit her head against the rocky bottom while her scream sucked in a lung full of water. Everything went black as her body submerged in the dark water.

Chapter 10

When Dina came to, everything looked blurry. She’d lost a contact at some point during the fiasco, so when her focus returned, she could only see clearly out of the eye that still wore a lens. The contrast did nothing to help her dizziness subside. Looking up at the bright sky, she felt the jaggedness of the beach rocks under her body. Groaning, she tried to sit up, but the motion nauseated her.

Vinny was kneeling beside her. “Hey, D. Are you okay?” His concerned voice rang in her ears.

“Not…not really sure…I don’t feel so good, Vin.”

The staff nurse came running down the bank with her first aid kit. She immediately started to check Dina for injuries and declared that she might have a concussion.

Shivering in her wet clothes, she asked, “Wh…what happened to me?”

“You fell out of the boat. Well, you were pushed out, I guess. Geez, I’m glad I didn’t go after that one. Wow, it was really something. You were down so quick no one had a chance to get to you before you went under the water. We saw the blood come up to the surface, and
pow
, Mind Man had you on shore so quick we didn’t even see him leave the boat. He could’ve gotten out from under those girls at any time, so I guess you took a tumble for nothing.”

Dina felt the back of her head. It was sticky. When she looked at her hand, she realized that she was bleeding badly.

“I think you should go to the emergency room,” Vinny said.

“I’m fine. I just need some fresh clothes, and I’ll be as good as new.” She tried to stand, but her legs gave out.

Vinny caught her and helped her back down.

It galled her, but she was going to have to accept help getting up the hill. She looked at her friend and asked, “Where did Mind Man and the contestants go? I’m glad that at least you stuck around to make sure I wasn’t dead.”