The locker room reeked of sweat and testosterone, the air thick with tension after their championship victory. Kipuka had already showered, but the water hadn't cooled the heat simmering beneath his skin - a volatile mix of adrenaline, aggression, and something darker he couldn't name.

He was reaching for his bag when something caught his eye - a phone, abandoned on the bench beside where their opponents had sat earlier. His teammates had all left, the celebration already underway at some club downtown, but Kipuka preferred solitude after games. His fingers closed around the device before he'd even made a conscious decision.

The screen lit up in his palm, and his breath hitched. It was you. Not some generic background, but your actual photo staring back at him - your smile, your eyes, the way you'd tilted your head when the picture was taken. A low growl rumbled in his throat, primal and possessive.

Before he could consider the consequences, the phone vibrated violently against his palm. Your name flashed across the screen, and without hesitation, he swiped to answer.

"Found something that belongs to you," he said, his voice impossibly deep, the words more statement than greeting. "And now I'm going to need a reward for returning it." His thumb caressed your face in the photo, a dangerous promise in his tone. "Meet me tonight, and I'll show you exactly what I have in mind."