Married to the Jock (DWTJ series)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kent's POV

The rain soaked through my jacket while we hustled through neighborhoods, parking lots, shopping malls and parks throughout the town. Sadie's dad was right behind me, running door to door, waking up families asking if they'd seen my baby Emery. Each answer was the same; no. The normal apologies, wishing us good luck and so on came as well but no one could tell me anything that led to my daughter. 

Hope was slipping away fast and I knew if something did come up within the next few hours, there's a good chance we've lost her for good. 

"Kent! Kent! Come over here!" I turned immediately on my heels when I heard the voice of the young police officer, who had first broke the news to Sadie and I, yelling from his car's rolled down window. 

"Did you find her?" I yelled back, sprinting towards him. The young man's face was ghostly white and I knew whatever news he had couldn't be good. 

"No sir, it's your wife," 

He didn't need to finish his sentence before I was throwing open the back door for Sadie's dad to climb in and rushing around the back to jump into the passenger seat. 

"It's Charlie," I growled, fists clenching with each breath I staggered out. 

"That one guy from high school? The one who stalked Sadie or what not?" Her dad asked, leaning forward to hear better from the back seat. 

"No, I mean the guy who tried to kill me because Sadie didn't want to be with him," I snapped. I wasn't worried about hurting anyone's feelings at the moment, if apologies needed to be said later on then so be it, but right now the only thing on my mind is making sure my family is safe. 

The young officer sped through the streets at impressive speed and they came to a rough stop right in front of our house, where three other police cars were parked with lights on. All officers were out of the vehicles, guns aimed and ready to fire. 

"What's going on?" I demanded, not attempting to run towards the house knowing that there would be three guys stopping me before I could step foot onto the grass. 

"I was called to come stay with your wife and mother-in-law until you two came back. When i arrived on site though the front door was locked and I heard screaming for only a few minutes," The other officer took a deep breath, obviously stressed like everyone else was. "It's been quiet for the past five minutes," 

"And you're not doing anything?" I yelled, turning to the Sheriff who put his hands up in defense. 

"Hold on Kent, we can't just barge into the house. We don't know what we're up against yet, if there's a gun involved or what other weapons could be posing a threat," The Sheriff remained as calm as possible, his voice cracking only a few times. These kind of things don't happen too often. 

"My wife and mother-in-law are in there! Get them out, now!" I reached to grab onto the Sheriff's collar, a move that was thankfully interrupted by the front door to my house swinging open. At first the bright light from inside made it hard to see but within a couple moments you could see two silhouettes emerging from inside the house. 

"Sadie!" I recognized the body structure and hair, lunging forward, past the officers to run to my wife. She was supporting her mother against her side, her mother's arm slung around her neck. As soon as I grabbed Sadie, her father was grabbing her mother and both the women collapsed into our arms. 

"Mom needs an ambulance," Sadie said, stirring in my arms and looking around at the police officers. Her dad had lowered Sadie's mom onto the ground on her back, cradling her hands in his and kissing them continuously. 

I reached for Sadie and pulled her against me, tears rolling down my face from relief knowing that my wife was safe. Sadie pushed back from me to stare up in my eyes, she was terrified. That's when I noticed all the blood. Her whole front was covered in blood, she was wearing my old sweatshirt. 

"Get someone over her, she's hurt too!" I yelled, holding Sadie near me and trying to find her wound. She was walking well for an abdominal wound, which was where most the blood was. 

"Kent, I'm fine," Sadie said, trying to be louder than my yelling. "It's not my blood!"

Sadie held up her hands that were also covered in blood and pointed back towards the house. 

"I think I killed him," Sadie told one of the officers, then turned her cold and frantic gaze back to mine, trembling. "I'm so sorry," 

She began falling to her knees but I caught her before, letting her sob into my chest and bunch her bloody hands against my jacket. Six officers swarmed into the house to search for the intruder. I already knew who had broken into my house and who had assaulted my family, intending to kill them. 

"There's nothing to be sorry for," I whispered against Sadie's head, kissing it and petting her head in an attempt to soothe her. She continued to mumble on and on about Charlie and how he had come out of nowhere and how she had no choice until suddenly her head snapped up. 

"You have to find Ryan, Kent please. Ryan has Emery!" Sadie was nearly screaming into my chest at this point, becoming nearly belligerent. 

 "Are you sure? Where is Ryan?" I asked Sadie and before she could answer the officers who had gone into house came back out into the yard and two paramedics with a stretcher went in. "What happened? What did you find?" 

Sadie ripped away from me and ran to her mother who was now being moved onto a stretcher to be taken to the hospital. Probably the same hospital that bastard will be taken to, if he's unfortunate enough to still be alive. 

The Sheriff cleared his throat while the rest of his crew began cleaning up their things to leave. 

"We found a man inside the master bedroom where it appears he was stabbed four times," Kent glanced over at Sadie who was still crying, clutching to her father now. "There seemed to have been a struggle but in the end your wife was the lucky one who got away," 

"So he's dead?" I asked quickly, praying the answer was yes. Praying this problem would be gone and out of my life for good. 

"No, not yet. He is in critical condition and we're taking him to the hospital to see if they can help him," With that being said the Sheriff handed me a card with his number on it and let me know that he'd be by in the morning after his shift searching for Emery. I hadn't forgotten about Emery, not even close. 

"Can you do something for me?" I asked before the Sheriff could climb into his car. "Please have three of your officers stay here with my wife and father-in-law," 

"We can definitely do that," He climbed into his car and immediately reached for his radio to order three officers to stay here. 

"Thank you," I turned away and hugged both Sadie and her father together, a sigh of slight relief escaping my chest. "I need you two to stay here, I'm going to get Emery back," 

Instead of arguing with me Sadie stepped forward and kissed me quickly. 

"Be careful," Sadie called out and then we were peeling away, towards Ryan and Charlie's house in town. 

It's time to pay Ryan a little surprise visit. 

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Before you guys get upset, I'm sorry this has taken SOOOO LOOONNGGG! I've re-written this chapter a million times and I just could never seem to get it right. I still don't even like this version but I don't want to keep you guys waiting. Also, I wanted to try and put it into Sadie's perspective but I've never been good with writing action or suspenseful scenes so I apologize, I had to go with Kent's perspective on this one. 

Please let me know what you think! Love you all!