Page 23 of Thirst Trap

But curiosity had always been her most dangerous habit.

It was nearly midnight when she discovered the hidden panel half glitched behind the east stairwell, disguised as part of the wall. One wrong touch and the lock hissed open, revealing a narrow stairwell that spiraled down into the dark.

She should’ve turned back.

Instead, she kicked off her heels and padded barefoot down the steps, each level colder, quieter, less corporate. The air changed to gunpowder, machine oil, cologne that wasn’t for boardrooms but for battlefields. First came the server room, glowing blue and green, men hunched over screens muttering about breaches and crypto wars. Then a glass vault stacked with weapons.

Then rows of matte black motorcycles lined like soldiers at rest.

And then him.

Lucas.

Standing shirtless in the middle of it all, chain at his throat, sweatpants hanging low on his hips. Leaning against a Ducati like sin made flesh. Phone in hand. Voice low.

“You wanted proof, didn’t you?”

The words froze her.

Because this wasn’t a fantasy.

This wasn’t HelmetDaddy_XO playing at anonymity.

This was him.

Every suspicion. Every dirty DM. Every sleepless night. Confirmed. Maddison didn’t breathe. But something shifted in the silence, and his head snapped up. Their eyes locked.

He didn’t look shocked. Or panicked.

Just inevitable.

Like he’d always known she would find him here.

“You need to go,” he said, voice rough.

She stepped forward instead, slow, deliberate. “I don’t think so.”

He straightened, sliding the phone into his pocket. “Maddison ”

“My, my. Helmet Daddy’s just a mask,” she teased, her grin sharp enough to draw blood. “All those posts… all that teasing… all that pretending you didn’t know me.”

Toe to toe now. Close enough to smell his sweat, his danger.

“You’ve been obsessed with me, Lucas.”

He didn’t deny it.

So she kissed him. Soft first, testing. Then harder hungry, commanding, taking.

And Lucas broke.

He kissed her back like he’d been starving. Like oxygen was rationed and she was the last breath left on earth.

It was messy. Desperate. Loaded.

When they finally tore apart, Maddison’s smirk was victorious.

“I’m going to have so much fun with you.”