For All Of My Life | C. Cullen

003

CHAPTER THREE
Run and Hide

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-Annabelle-

The kiss didn't last for nearly as long as Annabelle would've liked it to, but she figured they had eternity, so she couldn't really complain much. However, it was good he pulled away, leaving her alone on the bed, because a moment later she heard the heavy thud of her father's boots against the second floor hallway and understood why he pulled away. That didn't mean she enjoyed it, watching him compose himself as he stood silently and respectfully next to the chair by her bed. Since her room was the first door on the left at the top of the stairs, Henry knocked on the door just seconds later, and Annabelle knew he would've had a fit if she saw them in such a position. Not that she didn't think Carlisle would be hurt, but that didn't mean she wanted her soulmate and her father fighting. As much as they disagreed, she loved her father and would be heartbroken if something happened to him.

She swallowed thickly and quickly pulled the sheet up nearly to her chin, making herself look as pitiful as she felt the past week, seeing Carlisle fight a smile out of the corner of her eye which made her want to smile as well. But she held it back as she shifted and let out a breath before calling out to her father behind the closed door.

"Come in," she said, making her voice weak like it had been, and immediately the door swung open to reveal Henry standing there. He looked more than a bit startled, looking between Carlisle and Annabelle as if they were playing a practical joke on him or something.

"Anna," he breathed, ignoring Carlisle completely—not that Annabelle was really expecting anything different—and quickly tugged the chair closer to sit beside her, taking her hand in his. His skin was actually startlingly warm compared to Carlisle's, but of course she didn't react or say anything about it. She knew her father knew what he was, but she was grateful he didn't say anything about it. Perhaps he was truly that desperate; it was true, she had never quite seen Henry Steele like that before, almost vulnerable. He looked raw and exposed, not hiding his emotions from her for the first time in her life as he looked her over carefully. "I cannot believe it... You are alright?"

Annabelle nodded and slowly moved the sheets away from her face. "I am, Father. Dr. Cullen helped me a lot." Over her father's head, she caught his loving smile and had to fight hers away as Henry's eyes narrowed just a bit, but not enough that she thought he wanted her to notice. It was then, when she mentioned Carlisle, that he tensed, as if he had forgotten for a moment that Carlisle was there. He gazed at Annabelle for a moment longer before he stood and turned to the man waiting patiently by the door. For a moment she thought Henry was going to ask him to leave, but luckily he didn't. Instead he surprised them both by holding out a bag full of coins to Carlisle, who hesitated and spared a glance over Henry's shoulder to Annabelle, who nodded mutely. If he declined, her father would become frustrated by his wounded pride, and also suspicious that a doctor would forgo payment.

With a sigh only Annabelle could see, he gave Henry a nod of thanks and took the bag from the man's grasp.

"You saved my daughter, Dr. Cullen. I owe you much more than that for her life, along with my gratitude. So I thank you." And then he surprised them yet again by holding his hand out to shake. From the way he spoke, he hated vampires. From the stiffness of his body, Annabelle knew that was still true, but his worry for her and his gentleman upbringing and southern hospitality didn't allow him to kick Carlisle out the door when he did something so kind for them. But that didn't stop him from tensing even more when Carlisle obliged and shook his hand, nodding his head in a respectful bow and pretending that he didn't know about the family's secret, or that he saw how his presence made Henry more than a bit uncomfortable.