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“Fine,” I spat, releasing my grip on the mugger and stepping back. He crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath. “But only because you asked.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, her fingers still entwined with mine. I could feel her pulse racing beneath my touch, and it took all my self-control not to turn my anger on the man responsible for her fear.
Pulling out my communicator, I dialed the local police and reported the incident. “Stay here,” I ordered the mugger, looking sternly at him. “The authorities will be arriving shortly to deal with you. And it’s better them than me.”
Vanessa stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. Her touch brought instant comfort. I looked up at her and saw admiration shining in her eyes. My heart raced with pride as she gave me a soft smile of gratitude before turning towards the apartment building.
The adrenaline dissipated as I took stock of what had just happened, but I wanted to know more about why it had happened. My breathing slowed as I glanced at Vanessa, who looked shaken but unharmed. The mugger’s eyes darted between us, his hands still raised in surrender.
“Listen,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “We’re all calm now, and no one was hurt. Why did you try to rob us?”
“Look, I—I didn’t want to do this,” he stammered, his desperation evident. “I lost my job. I’ve got two kids to feed, man. Nobody would help me out. I didn’t see any other choice.”
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. Sure, he’d just tried to rob us but only did it because he felt cornered. I thought about my family back on Orkaris and how I’d do anything to keep them safe.
“Give me your home address,” I said softly. “I promise your kids will have food on the table, and they’ll be safe.”
“Y-you mean it?” he asked, tears welling up.
“Absolutely,” I replied..
He hesitated momentarily before giving me his address.
“Thank you,” he whispered, wiping tears from his cheeks.
Vanessa walked over to me, her eyes shimmering with admiration. “Zorak, that was incredibly kind of you,” she said, her voice quivering. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Maybe not,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks flush a deeper shade of green. “But I’ve been down on my luck before, and sometimes a little kindness can make all the difference.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, her hand brushing against one of my tusks. A warm sensation filled me as our eyes met, and for a moment, the events of the evening seemed to fade away, leaving only the connection between us.
I couldn’t help but think about how my life had changed since meeting Vanessa. Her presence had brought out parts of me I didn’t even know existed. And despite our differences, we found common ground in the most unexpected places.
As we waited for the police to arrive, I turned my attention to Vanessa, trying to help her calm down. I could tell that the night’s events had shaken her to her core, and I felt responsible for the turmoil she was experiencing. “Are you okay?” I asked softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
“I’m just... a little shaken,” she admitted, her voice barely audible. “But I’m glad you were here with me.”
“I’ll always be here for you,” I vowed, pulling her into a gentle embrace. “No matter what.”
“Thank you, Zorak,” she whispered, leaning into my arms. And as we stood there, wrapped in each other’s comforting presence, I knew our connection had grown stronger.
The flashing red and blue lights and the police sirens cut through the night’s darkness. The officers stepped out, their boots tapping against the pavement as they approached us.
“Officers,” I said calmly while maintaining a firm grip on Vanessa’s hand, “we don’t want to press charges. We believe the guy needs a chance to reflect on his actions. Maybe just a night in the cells?”
The two officers exchanged glances before one of them nodded in agreement. “All right, we can do that,” he replied. As they walked away to handle the mugger, I felt Vanessa’s grip tighten around my hand.
“Thank you, Zorak,” she whispered, her eyes glistening with gratitude. “You didn’t have to do that, either.”
“Of course I did,” I replied, reassuringly squeezing her hand. “Everyone deserves a second chance, even those who make mistakes like this.”
We shared a warm moment before parting ways for the night and I watched her walk into her apartment. As I headed home, the image of Vanessa’s appreciative smile lingered.
Chapter 14
Vanessa
I stopped when I reached my apartment door. The realization of everything that just happened hit me at once. I had experienced the full Zorak, the kind, funny, protective and generous individual I knew him now to be. I couldn’t simply let him walk away.
