Free The First Three Rules by Adrienne Wilder

feel?”
    “Are you trying to be funny?”
    Jon’s eyes crinkled up. “Did it work?”
    “No.”
    “So I shouldn’t quit my day job?”
    “Definitely not.”
    Jon’s expression sobered. “Can you sit up on your own? I want to check your side again and put another icepack on your face.”
    “What happened to icepack number one?”
    “Don’t you remember?”
    He didn’t and that terrified him, but going to the hospital terrified him even more. What if someone called the police and they took Rudy away? Jon shook him again. Ellis opened his eyes. He didn’t remember closing them. “I’m okay.”
    “You can’t remember the last time I woke you up, can you?”
    He knotted his hands in his lap. “I was just tired.” He said it, but he didn’t believe it. Something was wrong.
    “Ellis? What’s the last thing you remember?”
    He thought a moment. “You said you were going to get the groceries out of the truck.”
    Jon nodded. “That was about six hours ago. I’ve been waking you up every hour. You don’t remember that either, do you?”
    Fear made Ellis shiver. “No.”
    “I think you should go to the hospital.”
    He was beginning to think the same thing. “Rudy.”
    “I’ll keep an eye on him.” Jon helped him lay back against the pillow, getting so close that his exhale warmed Ellis’s cheek.
    Why can’t you just kiss me?
    Jon’s mouth curled. He patted Ellis on the hand and then he was gone.
    ********
    Jon cursed himself for not calling the ambulance first thing. If something happened to Ellis it would be his fault. He headed down the steps. The phone was on the end table next to the sofa. He dialed.
    “Nine one one, what’s your emergency?”
    “My name is Marshal Jon Foster and I’m located at 2111 Kale Creek Road. I have a male in his thirties who may have a concussion.”
    “Is he conscious?”
    “Yes, but he’s confused.”
    “Marshal Foster, I’m dispatching an ambulance now.”
    “Please make sure they turn off the sirens. His brother is mentally disabled. They might scare him.”
    “Yes, sir. I’ll relay the message.”
    Jon hoped EMS could make it in and out without waking Rudy. The last thing they needed was Rudy panicking at the sight of an ambulance or people carrying his brother away.
    Jon went back upstairs to check on Ellis. They’d talked the first few times he’d woken up. Nothing special, mostly about Rudy and his daily habits; he liked oatmeal for breakfast, didn’t like yellow crayons, would eat peanut butter out of the jar so Ellis hid it in the top of the cupboard. It seemed like he hid a lot of things to keep Rudy out of them. Like the Tylenol. Ellis had been adamant that Jon make sure Rudy could not get to it. The conversations were never long. Then Ellis would say he was tired and go back to sleep.
    He didn’t even complain about the ice packs being cold when Jon applied them.
    There had been nothing beyond an exhausted man who was in desperate need of rest. Then this time when Ellis woke up he’d lost hours.
    It wasn’t a good sign. Jon should have ignored Ellis’s pleas and called the ambulance first. He sat down on the bed. Worry lines creased Ellis’s forehead.
    Why can’t you just kiss me?
    Even sleep-slurred, there had been hope in his voice.
    Part of him hoped Ellis wouldn’t remember, just to save him the embarrassment. Another part wanted him to never forget. Or better yet, say it again.
    Jon brushed the hair back from Ellis’s temple. He told himself it was to check the cut close to his hairline. In reality, it was just an excuse to touch him. Like checking on the bruises running down his side.
    Locks of wavy blond hair slid between his fingers. In the low light, it was almost bronze. He traced the shell of Ellis’s ear. What kind of sounds would Ellis make under him? Jon wouldn’t let Ellis drop his gaze then. He’d make Ellis watch the things he’d do.
    Jon clenched his eyes shut. What the hell was he doing? He had no business