HER SAFE PLACE

Rocky is DEAD

Shivangi's POV

I woke up to an unfamiliar emptiness beside me. My hand instinctively reached out, but the bed was cold. Rocky was gone. A pang of sadness hit me, and my chest tightened as I lay there, staring at the ceiling.

I knew he had to leave. I knew why. But that didn’t make it any easier. The ache of his absence was a sharp reminder of the precariousness of our situation.

As I tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through my body, and I winced. Every muscle felt sore, and in that moment, the memories of last night came rushing back.

Heat crept up my cheeks as I thought about everything we had done, every touch, every kiss, every whispered promise. “What the hell did I do yesterday?” I murmured to myself, covering my face with my hands.

The vivid recollection made me feel both embarrassed and… warm. I groaned softly, trying to push the thoughts away, but the blush on my cheeks refused to fade.

Slowly, I moved again, trying to sit up despite the dull ache in my body. Each movement was a reminder of how much we had shared the night before. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I managed to sit upright.

That’s when I noticed it—a folded piece of paper on the bedside table. Curious, I reached out and picked it up. My heart fluttered as I unfolded the letter, his familiar handwriting staring back at me.

| Babydoll,

I’m sorry. I know you’re probably hurting, and your body must be aching. I’ve kept the medicine beside you. Please take it as soon as you wake up.

I hate that I’m not there with you right now. Trust me, I want to be, more than anything, but you know I can’t.

Don’t worry, though. I’ll be back soon. Until then, take care of yourself, my love. Take really good care of yourself because when I come back… we’re going to do everything we did last night.

And this time, I won’t be gentle.

Yours forever,
Cockroach                                                            |

My eyes widened as I read the last line, and my cheeks flamed red again. "Not gentle?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. “That was him being gentle? Really?”

I couldn’t help the shiver that ran down my spine. My fingers tightened around the letter as my thoughts spiraled. If that was his gentle side… what will his rough side be like?

Shaking my head to clear the embarrassing thoughts, I folded the letter and placed it back on the table. A small smile tugged at my lips despite the ache in my body and the heaviness in my heart.

Rocky may not be here physically, but his presence lingered in every touch, every memory, and now, every word.

I glanced at the medicines on the tray, a small frown forming on my face. Last night, he had given me medicine too—something to ease the ache from all that we had shared. But this morning, another dose?

I picked up the note again, reading his words carefully, searching for an explanation. "Your body might be aching," he had written. He wasn’t wrong—I could feel every inch of soreness, a testament to how intense things had been.

But still, why more medicine? A thought crossed my mind, and my cheeks flushed. Was he trying to prepare me? To make sure I wasn’t completely wrecked when he came back for… more?

I shook my head, laughing softly at my own overthinking. Of course not, Shivangi, I scolded myself. He’s just being overly cautious. He knows you’re not used to… this.