Reality Hero Read Online Free Page A

hidden cameras. Dina didn’t know about this skill yet, so if she’d thought to trick him it wasn’t going to work.
    “No,” he said flatly.
    She turned. Her big green eyes looked at him, wide and slightly haunted. His heart constricted. Fuck.
    “Oh, please, Zane, if you don’t do this, my life is over.” Those beautiful eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Dina’s soft voice trembled. She placed her small hand on his arm beseechingly. She sounded serious. Faced with her genuine distress, he crumbled.
    Fighting to say no, he tried not to notice how the light caught her skin and made it look like satin. Everything about her was pure beauty. She had creamy skin with a smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Her body was rounder than it’d been when they were younger, in all the right places; he liked the change. Zane licked his lips, and his mouth went suddenly dry. He wanted to take her in his arms and make love to her so badly. He clenched his fists to keep from reaching out and pulling her to him.
    “I’m so sorry. I hate that I asked you to do this. I understand why you can’t help me. Please forgive me for asking.” She turned again, but not before he noticed honest shame on her face.
    Her apology melted him. Once she’d been his salvation. Her presence kept the bad dreams at bay. She was still his anchor. Even absent from his life, thoughts of her kept him centered. In all the years he’d known her, she’d never asked him for anything. Without Dina, Zane knew he’d have followed the dark path that Ian, the friend they’d failed, traveled.
    Thinking of Ian caused his fists to tighten involuntarily. Dina glanced at his hands and scowled. She wiped away her tears and straightened her shoulders.
    “Geez, sorry I asked. Don’t be angry. It was just a crazy idea.” Dina sniffled out the words.
    Zane tried to keep his mind from the darkness. He didn’t want to tell Dina everything causing his tension. He couldn’t do much to shelter her from what was bad in the world, but he could keep his worries to himself. Recently, there had been a string of robberies where the victims were murdered with electricity, Ian’s MO.
    “My reaction has nothing to do with the question. I have a lot on my mind.”
    She frowned and reached toward him before dropping her hand. “I can’t believe I asked you to go on TV. I know how hard the press is on you. I’m sorry. You never rest enough. I don’t have the right to add another burden on your shoulders. I’m so ashamed I even asked.”
    He was lost as he heard her soft, sad words. He’d expected her to want to fight with him about something, and to push him away. He’d never anticipated she’d ask this kind of favor from him. He took her chin in his hand and tipped her face up so that she met his eyes. “All right, Dina, I’ll do it, for you. I’d do anything for you, even reality television.” He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but failed miserably.
    She threw herself into his arms. “Oh, thank you, Zane. You’re giving me my life back.” Then she paused. “Are you sure you can do this, really?”
    He nodded stiffly.
    She hugged him tightly. Her body felt small in his arms, and he pressed his cheek against the top of her head, relishing the feeling of holding her. The light, floral scent of her shampoo filled his senses and his body responded to her. He’d materialized in street clothes and he was grateful that he had. His spandex disguise, the one Ella insisted he wear, would never have hidden his arousal. Zane hoped she wouldn’t notice. This was the first time he’d seen Dina in far too long, and for once, she wasn’t trying to start a fight.
    “If you’re really willing to help me, please come to my office in the morning and I’ll go over everything with you about the show. Zane…” She stepped back to gaze up into his face. “Thank you so much. You save strangers every night, but tomorrow you’ll be saving my life.”
    He