Chapter 734

Rain and tears blurred together on his face as Stewart dug tirelessly, finally reaching the car's windshield. It was too dark inside, and no one responded to his calls.

He cleared away the last of the mud, balled his hand into a fist, and was about to smash the glass when a voice cut through the storm.

"Stewart!"

His body went rigid. Behind him, a pair of headlights flared to life, illuminating his drenched, pathetic figure.

Time seemed to stand still.

In the wind and rain, a woman holding an umbrella walked toward him, her steps sure on the wet, muddy ground.

Stewart slowly turned around. The woman was backlit, her face hidden in the shadows beneath the umbrella. The harsh light stung his wet eyes. He squinted, slowly pushing himself to his feet.

He stumbled forward, his walk turning into a desperate run.

Briony stopped and watched him approach. In the last few feet, Stewart slowed, blinking hard until her face came into focus. His pale lips parted, his chest heaving as he fought for breath, each gasp heavy with the terror he'd just endured.

He lunged forward and pulled her into a crushing embrace.

Their silhouettes merged in the headlights, casting a single shadow on the mound of mud behind them. In that moment, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

The umbrella tilted, and a cold stream of rain hit Briony's shoulder, making her shiver. She tightened her grip on the handle.

Stewart was soaked to the bone, his arms wrapped around her as if he'd never let go.

"Bryn, you scared me to death," he choked out, his voice trembling. "I thought you were..."

He couldn't finish the sentence,

closing his eyes against the

unspeakable thought. The feeling of having her back was a euphoric rush, sending his blood pounding through his veins. The last fifteen minutes had been a hell he never wanted to experience again. He couldn't control himself; atte wanted was to hold her, tighter and tighter, like a precious treasure he could never bear to lose.

Briony winced, the force of his hug making it hard to breathe. "Stewart," she said softly, "let me go."

"No," he said, his voice raw and stubborn. "I'm never letting go again, Bryn. Even if you hate me for it, I'm never letting you go."

"You're getting my clothes all wet," she said with a sigh.

Stewart froze. Briony felt his grip loosen slightly. A faint smile A faint smile touched her tips. f you let me catch a cold

Mr. Ellsworth will have your

He immediately released her, his expression filled with guilt. "Sorry, I just... I got

carried away."

"It's okay."

She glanced around. This was no place to linger in such weather. She raised the umbrella to cover his

ет

head her voice gentle "The rescue team is at the bottom of the hill. dangerous here-there could be another landslide at any moment. Let's get down the mountain."

Stewart stared at her, his gaze deep and unwavering, and nodded. "Okay."

Briony's eyes fell to his hands, which were bleeding freely. Her brow furrowed. "Let's take your car. You can't drive with your hands like that."

Stewart tried to hide his hands behind his back, his throat tight. "It's nothing, just a few scratches."

Briony gave him a look but didn't argue. "Let's just get off this mountain first."

The drive down was handled by Crystal. Briony sat in the passenger seat, while Stewart sat alone in the back.

By the time they reached the bottom of the mountain, the rain had finally eased up. Briony told Crystal to speed up.