Chapter Twenty Five
Found and Claimed
Ethan
T he door to my hotel room clicks shut behind me, and the silence feels deafening. For the first time all day, I’m alone with my thoughts—and they’re relentless.
Emma’s face is all I see. The way her lips trembled when she told me she couldn’t do this. The way she refused to look me in the eye, as if she couldn’t bear the weight of what she was saying. She walked away like she was trying to save herself, but all she’s done is leave me standing in the rubble.
I pace the room, running a hand through my hair as the memory of her words slice through me. I’ve faced game-day losses, career-ending injuries looming over my head, but this… This is something else entirely. This is the woman I love telling me I’m not enough for her to stay.
And I don’t know how to fix it .
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I snatch it up, half-hoping it’s her. It’s not. Just Jace, texting about tomorrow’s post-wedding brunch.
I toss the phone back onto the bed and drop my head into my hands, trying to keep the panic at bay. I’ve never felt this helpless in my life. Emma’s the one person I’ve always wanted more than anything, and she’s slipping through my fingers again.
I grab my phone again, my thumb hovering over her name. I’ve already talked to her tonight and it didn’t go well. But the thought of leaving things like this is unbearable.
Ethan : Emma, I need to know you’re okay. Please talk to me.
I send it before I can overthink. I set the phone down, staring at it like sheer willpower might make her reply. When it stays silent, I can’t help but think back to the moments we’ve shared since I got here—the way she laughed at my dumb jokes, the way her body fit against mine last night like it was made for me. How did we go from that to this?
My chest tightens, and I let out a frustrated groan, dragging my hands down my face. I want to punch something, yell, do anything to release this building pressure inside me. But none of it will fix what’s broken between us.
A knock at the door pulls me out of my spiral. For a second, I think I imagined it. But then it comes again, louder this time. I cross the room, my pulse spiking as I swing the door open.
Emma’s standing there.
Her eyes are red-rimmed, her face pale. She’s still wearing her dress from the reception, but her arms are wrapped around herself like she’s trying to hold herself together.
“I need to talk to you,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
I step aside without a word, and she walks in, her heels clicking against the floor. I shut the door, turning to face her. She’s standing in the middle of the room, looking like she might fall apart any second.
“What’s going on, Emma?” My voice comes out rougher than I intend, but I don’t try to soften it. “What are you doing here?”
Her gaze flickers to mine, and she takes a shaky breath. “I need to know the truth.”
“About what?” I ask, my frustration bubbling over. “What could I possibly say that I haven’t already? I love you, Emma. I want to be with you. I thought I made that clear.”
She flinches, her arms tightening around herself. “I overheard you on the phone last night,” she blurts out, the words tumbling out in a rush. “You said you needed to get out of here as soon as the wedding was over. That you’d be back in the city by Monday.”
I stare at her, my mind reeling. That’s what this is about? “You think I’m leaving you?” I take a step closer, my voice rising. “You think I’m here just to… what? Have one last fling before I go back to my life?”
Her silence speaks volumes, and it feels like a punch to the gut. “Jesus, Emma.” I drag a hand through my hair, pacing away from her. “That call wasn’t about leaving you. It was about… about making sure I had time to finalize things with my agent before I stayed longer. I told him I needed to handle something important here. You.”
She stares at me, her mouth slightly open, as if she’s trying to process my words. “You… you weren’t talking about leaving?”
“No,” I say, my voice cracking. “I was trying to make this work. To make us work.”
Her face crumples, and she takes a step back, like the realization of her misunderstanding is finally hitting her. “Ethan, I…”
I cut her off, my voice breaking as the emotions I’ve been holding back finally overwhelm me. “Do you have any idea what it feels like to love someone this much? To spend years wanting them, only for them to walk away because they don’t believe you’re all in?”
Her eyes well up with tears, and I feel my own slipping free. I hate this. I hate feeling this vulnerable, this exposed. But if it’s what it takes to get through to her, I’ll give her everything I have.
“I’m not leaving, Emma,” I say, my voice trembling. “Not now, not ever. But if you don’t believe that, if you don’t believe in me, then tell me now. Because I’m not going to keep fighting for something you’ve already given up on.”
For a long moment, she doesn’t say anything. Just stares at me, her tears falling freely now. And then she steps closer, her hands trembling as they reach for mine.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry. I was scared, Ethan. I thought… I thought I was protecting myself.”
I pull her into my arms, holding her like I might never let go. “You don’t have to protect yourself from me,” I murmur into her hair. “I’m here, Emma. For as long as you’ll have me.”
She looks up at me, her gaze soft but intense. “I want you,” she says, her voice steady despite the tears. “I want this. But I need you to promise me… promise me you won’t walk away.”
“I promise,” I say, the words as much a vow as the ones Jace made to Sierra earlier today. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Our lips meet in a kiss that feels like both a beginning and an ending—like every wall between us is finally gone. The kiss deepens, and I feel her fingers slide into my hair, her body pressing against mine.
Her kiss is fire and forgiveness, her lips soft and trembling against mine. I let her lead, my hands anchoring at her waist as she presses closer. The tears on her cheeks haven’t fully dried, but I feel her resolve in the way her fingers thread through my hair, pulling me deeper into her.
“Emma,” I murmur against her lips, my voice heavy with emotion. “Are you sure?”
Her answer is immediate—a whispered, “Yes,” followed by another kiss that steals the breath from my lungs. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and now she’s here, holding onto me like she’s afraid of letting go, like she’s trying to erase the space between us completely.
I guide her back toward the bed, her steps unsteady as we move. Her hands slide under my shirt, her hands warm and urgent against my skin. I help her lift it over my head, and her eyes roam over me, taking in every muscle like she’s memorizing me.
“You’re incredible,” she says softly, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Stop,” I say, cupping her face in my hands. “Don’t ever say that again. You’re perfect, Emma. You always have been. ”
Her lips part, and I capture them again, desperate to show her how much she means to me. My hands slide down her sides, finding the zipper at the back of her dress. I pause, giving her a chance to stop me, but she doesn’t. She nods, her eyes locked on mine, and I slowly slide the zipper down.
Her dress pools at her feet, leaving her in a delicate lace bra and matching panties that make my heart race. She shivers slightly, and I wrap my arms around her, pressing my forehead to hers.
“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper, my hands skimming over her back, her waist, every curve that feels like it was made for me. “So damn beautiful.”
She reaches for the button of my tuxedo pants, her fingers trembling slightly, but I still her hands.
“We don’t have to rush this,” I say, my voice low. “I’ll wait as long as you need.”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s no hesitation in her response. “I’ve waited long enough.”
The words ignite something inside me, and I kiss her again, deeper this time, pouring everything I feel into it. Her fingers move to the buttons of my shirt, fumbling slightly in her urgency. I cover her hands with mine, steadying her as I work the buttons free. Once undone, I shrug the shirt off my shoulders, letting it slide to the floor before pulling her back into my arms. Her hands move to the waistband of my pants, undoing the button and zipper, then she pushes them down my legs. I kick them off, leaving us standing together, bare and vulnerable in every sense of the word.
I shift, her legs wrapping around my waist as I press her back against the mattress, our movements seamless, like we’ve done this a thousand times before. Her arms tighten around my shoulders, her lips kissing down my jaw and neck, each kiss sending a jolt of electricity straight to my cock. I follow her down, our bodies aligning perfectly as I brace myself above her, my weight supported on my forearms.
Her hands explore my back, her nails digging in slightly as I press a line of kisses down her throat, across her collarbone, and lower still. Her soft gasps and murmured encouragements spur me on, my name a whispered prayer on her lips.
“I need you,” she says, her voice breaking. “Now, Ethan.”
I meet her gaze, searching for any sign of doubt, but all I see is love and trust and a hunger that matches my own. “I’ve got you,” I promise, positioning myself above her. “I’ll always have you.”