Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2017 22:15:28 -0500
From: rw6789@aol.com
Subject: "A Trial Of Strength" - Part 344  by Rob Williams

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 344
By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER:

Mark (the muscle-god cop) and Jamie (his young blond surfer) have wild sex
where master/boy roles are reversed.  Then a man from Jamie's past, Brigg,
surfaces and attacks Brandon.  The senior boys unite to exact revenge,
first from Pablo's fist and then in a test of Brigg's manhood by the
muscular black leatherboy Darius.  But Jamie's kindness prompts Brigg to
reveal a heart-breaking story of his past.


CHAPTER 344 – "A NEW MAN – A TEST OF MANHOOD"

The whole tribe had gathered at the Grady house to celebrate the reunion of
Grady and Mario.

As it turned out they also witnessed the resolution of the problems between
Doctor Steve, his lover Lloyd and their houseboy Tommy.  That tortured
triangle was settled by boss Randy in his usual earthy gypsy way.  As he
later said with a casual shrug, "I took care of it, that's all.  Shit, how
many times have I told you guys that a good stiff dick up the ass solves
most problems?"

The party was a huge success and went on until dark, when couples started
to pair off and go to their homes.  In bed that evening most of them went
through the usual pleasurable exercise of talking out the party, especially
the various relationships in the tribe, their unlikely beginnings and
torturous paths to happiness.

One of the most successful and loving of these couples, not to mention one
of the most glamorous, were the handsome blond cop Mark and his gorgeous
young surfer-boy Jamie.  In bed that night they too talked over the party
and the couples gathered there.  Inevitably their conversation wound its
way to recollections of their own relationship and its strange and
precarious start.  They could laugh about it now, but back then it had been
traumatic and could have ended disastrously for Jamie.

At the time he was one of a pair of skinheads, living rough on the edge of
the law, who had broken into the tribe's house.  They had attacked Randy's
boy Pablo but had fortunately been stopped by Mark, arriving home in his
police uniform with his authoritarian "Freeze!"

Mark now held his naked boy close and said, "When I first saw you, Jamie,
my only thought was of arresting you and throwing you in jail.  You
remember?  It was an ugly scene.  Randy of course was all for beating you
up but fortunately Bob intervened and convinced me not to charge you and
Randy not to slug you.  At Bob's persuasion, Randy agreed to hire you two
guys as menial laborers on the tribe's new house he was building at the
time."

Mark propped himself on his elbow and ran his hand over Jamie's handsome
face and muscular surfer's body.  "Now look at you, totally transformed
– my gorgeous boy, one of the tribe's most senior boys with a ripped,
tanned body, that shaved head now a tousled mass of blond hair."

Jamie smiled.  "I'll always be grateful that you saw something in me that
you liked enough to take me on that trip up the coast."  He chuckled, "I
prided myself on being such a stud with the ladies and didn't realize I was
falling in love with you.  And now here we are.  I love you so much, sir,
and I'll always try to make you proud of me."

"By the way," Mark said, "whatever happened to that other guy?  What was
his name?"

"Brigg, sir, and he went back to his family in St. Louis.  I don't know why
though, `cos I seem to remember him telling me his father was a drunk who
abused him and his mother."

"Well, that's all water under the bridge now, buddy.  It sure ended well
for us though.  That trip up to my shack in the dunes was the start of our
life together.  And you remember the first time we fucked?  I tied you to
the bed, made you suck my dick, then pushed it into your gorgeous ass
... the first man ever to fuck you."

"And the best, sir.  My favorite part of every day is getting naked on the
bed and waiting for you to come home and fuck me.  Mmm, I love that so
much."

"Which we haven't done yet today."

"Excuse me, sir?"

"We've been up at the Grady House all day hearing all about other guys
patching up their quarrels and fucking each other but ... let's see here."
He reached down under the sheet and felt Jamie's cock – stiff as a pole.
"Hmm, can't let that go to waste, can we?"  He jumped up off the bed and
paced round it, gazing down at his naked surfer, and laughed, "Look at that
tent pole under the sheet.  Throw it off you, let me see what's holding it
up."

Jamie pushed the sheet down to his ankles and his cock sprang up tall and
proud.  He gazed at the blond cop, with the body and face of a Greek God.
He was wearing only navy blue boxers and as he walked round the bed he
flexed his muscles, deliberately turning his boy on.  He went to the small
fridge, pulled out a beer and twisted off the top.  He tilted his head back
and took a long swig, his pronounced Adam's apple moving seductively as he
swallowed.

To Jamie the cop was an icon of masculinity, with his chiseled features
– strong cheekbones, lantern jaw and blue eyes – his sculpted muscles
rippling as he casually raised the bottle and drank.  The image was so
erotic that Jamie mechanically grabbed his cock and stroked it.

"Oh, no.  Oh no you don't boy.  You're not gonna jack off like that.  I was
just getting off thinking about what I did to you that first time.  You're
a cop's boy now, and you know what that means."

Mark went over to his uniform pants on a hanger and detached from the belt
two pairs of police-issue handcuffs.  "These are what I use to restrain
overactive suspects.  And you are definitely being overactive and, I
suspect, about to bust your load.  No, can't have that.  Remember what I
did to you all that time ago?"

"Yes, sir," Jamie said, trembling with excitement, pre-cum already oozing
from his hard cock.

"Yeah, well, looks like I've gotta do the same thing now.  But I'll give
you a break – so you don't get hurt."  He grabbed off the floor two
discarded T-shirts, his own and Jamie's, and wrapped one round each of
Jamie's wrists.  Then he clicked one pair of cuffs to each wrist and looped
the other end over the bed posts so Jamie was cuffed to the bed, arms
stretched to the corners, his wrists protected from chafing against the
steel.

"Oh shit yeah, that's how I remember you that first time, Jamie, looking
almost as gorgeous then as you do now.  I remember how you panicked a bit
and struggled to get free."  The naked surfer struggled now and Mark
groaned.  "Oh yeah ... oh yeah.  Shit that looks so fucking hot.  I think
when I saw that the first time I knew I you as my boy so I could fuck you
whenever I wanted – like I do now.

But still the muscle-cop paced round the bed, teasing Jamie with his
near-naked body, and Jamie once again felt the exquisite sensation of being
helplessly bound, at the mercy of a police officer.  He pulled against his
restraints, partly to indulge in the pleasure of naked helplessness, partly
to show off his body, as he knew Mark loved the sight of a writhing blond
jock.

And it was true.  Watching his boy handcuffed to the bed was a huge turn-on
for Mark and he at last dropped his shorts and stood naked at the foot of
the bed stroking his huge cock.  But still he teased his boy.  "Remember
how after I tied you up I stuffed this rod in your mouth?"

"Yes, sir," Jamie trembled.

"You want it now, like that first time?"

"Yes please, sir.  Please let me suck your cock, sir."

Mark grinned.  "That's what I like to hear, a surfer jock begging for cock
as he struggles in bondage.  Guess I better give him what he wants."  Mark
knelt on the bed straddling Jamie's chest, and pulled a pillow under his
head, raising the boy's face so his dick was pointing straight at his
mouth. Reflexively Jamie parted his full, soft lips, an inviting target for
the cop's long shaft.

Mark leaned forward, braced his hands on the headboard and raised up on his
feet so his body was arched over the young jock, his stiff rod pointing
down just a few inches from his face.  Jamie strained his face up and poked
out his tongue trying to lick the end of the cock.

"Man, you really want it, don't you, stud?"

"Yes, sir," Jamie groaned eagerly.  Finally Mark had mercy on him, lowered
his hips and slowly pushed his cock between the lips, into the warm mouth
and all the way down the boy's throat.  Jamie felt Mark's curly blond pubic
hair press against his face and inhaled though his nose, savoring the musky
smell of the cop's sweaty crotch.

As Mark pulled slowly back Jamie applied the lessons he, like all the other
boys, had received from the champion cocksucker Eddie.  He clenched his
throat muscles tight round the thick shaft as it slid from his mouth then
pushed in again, with Jamie alternately clenching and relaxing his throat.

Mark gazed down at the boy's full lips, pursed tight as his cock
disappeared into his mouth.  "Man, that feels so fucking good.  Yeah, eat
that cop's dick, surfer boy."  He grinned, "You've come a long way since
that first time, Jamie, when you gagged and choked, but you learned fast."
He fucked the handsome, blond, wide-eyed face, driving Jamie wild as the
cock pushed in, paused, pulled out slowly then drove in fast, deeper than
before.

But suddenly Mark pulled out, threw his head back, eyes closed, and moaned,
shit you almost made me cum there.  But I wanna save it for something
special."  He sank down on his knees again over Jamie's chest and freed his
wrists.  He locked eyes with him and spoke seriously.

"Like I said, Jamie, you've come a long way since those early days,
transformed from an insecure boy to a self-assured young man – my man.
You see this?  Mark pointed to a tattoo on his own arm, a surfboard with a
letter J across it.  Remember when I did that, and why?  Remember when I
told you I don't want you to be my boy anymore ... I want you to be my man
... my lover, my buddy, my friend."

"Yes, sir, I remember it all."

"And you remember what we did to celebrate?"

"You mean ...?"

"Yeah ... this ..."  Mark reared up on his knees ... then sank straight
back down onto Jamie's rigid cock, letting it plunge deep in his ass.
"Aaagh!" Jamie howled, shocked by this sudden dry fuck that quickly
gathered speed as the naked cop rode the surfer's pole, smiling down at him
with shining blue eyes, raising his arms and flexing them in a bodybuilder
pose, his muscles rippling as he rose and fell over him.

Jamie instantly transitioned from obedient boy to the role of a hot young
stud having sex with his good buddy.  "Yeah, come on man, ride that dick
... damn your ass is hot."  He raised his hands and ran them over Mark's
ripped abs, his rock hard pecs and bulging biceps.  "You are so fucking
gorgeous, man.  Yeah, buddy, let's fuck!"

With a surge of strength Jamie threw Mark over onto his side and lay behind
him, wrapping his arms round him from behind, still ramrodding his ass.
Soon he pulled out and pushed the cop over on his stomach.  He knelt behind
him pressed his hands on the small of his back and moaned, "fucking
gorgeous ass," as his plunged his cock in again.

They both looked up at the mirror at the end of the bed staring wildly at
each other.  "OK, buddy," Mark howled, "let's see what you got.  Fuck that
ass!"  Pressing down on Mark's waist and pinning him to the bed, Jamie had
reversed their roles.  Previously at the cop's mercy the surfer was now the
top man and his rod pistoned inside the cop's helpless ass.

Mark willingly surrendered his ass to his boy until the pressure became too
much even for him.  He flexed his muscles, arched his back and threw Jamie
off him.  They rolled over the bed in a tangle of limbs, fucking in every
position, trading roles, on top one minute, then getting butt-fucked by the
other.  In the end Mark was on his back, gazing up at the heaving body of
the young surfer, his long blond hair flying in a tangled mess as he fucked
like a stallion.

Their frenzy of love and lust seemed to have no end, but the stamina of
even these virile men had its limits and at last Jamie's cock slowed and he
panted with exhaustion, "I'm done, man.  Your ass is so damn hot I gotta
cum."

"Let's do it, stud," Mark grinned, pounding his own bulging cock in his
fist.  "God you look beautiful, Jamie ... let me feel your jizz in my ass.
Fuck yeah!  Oh man, I love you.  I'm gonna shoot ... I'm cumming ... fuck
... fuck ... aaagh ..."  His cock exploded in his fist, blasting ribbons of
cum over his washboard abs and heaving chest.

The sight of the rugged blond cop covered in his own cum, and the feel of
his hot ass clenching round his dick was irresistible to the young jock.
He threw his head back, his muscles flexed, and with one last ferocious
plunge of his cock he howled as his sperm erupted deep inside the ass of
the handsome police officer lying naked beneath him.

Their hearts were pounding, their breathing ragged, they stared at each
other in wonder.  It had been phenomenal sex, even more powerful because it
was between two good buddies – not master and boy but two virile alpha
males, trading muscle for muscle and fuck for fuck.  Jamie pulled his
dripping cock out and fell on top of mark, who held him and smiled into his
eyes.

"That's the man I wanted, Jamie – the only man for me."

As they calmed down Mark became more contemplative.  "I love watching you
grow into a virile young stud, Jamie, a man in my own image.  But I'll tell
you this, being a top man has its obligations.  As a police officer I have
to be tough but I try to be fair – justice tempered with mercy – and
I want you to be the same.  As a senior boy you have to combine strength
with compassion, especially taking care of the junior boys.  Some of them
can be vulnerable and you and the other senior boys must look out for them.
You understand?"

"Yes I do, sir.  Is it OK if I still call you `sir'?"

"Of course.  We're buddies, but I'll always think of you as my boy – my
handsome, blond surfer boy.  And I couldn't be prouder of you, the way
you've grown from that lost young rebel into the man you are today.  I know
you will always act wisely, no matter what the challenge."

And at last they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms – cop and
California surfer, master and boy, two best buddies – two men totally in
love.

****************************

They couldn't know it at the time but a challenge would shortly arise that
would test Jamie and many of the boys in the way Mark had described.

It all happened suddenly about two weeks later on a Friday in
mid-afternoon.  The house was quiet as most of the men were still at work,
though they were expected home soon as they usually got off early on
Fridays.

The twins were home, of course, busy in the kitchen prepping the evening
meal, which was usually quite festive at the start of the weekend.  Nate,
the house manager, was upstairs checking on supplies for the master suite.
Brandon was alone in the office, a small, separate building with a view of
the garden.

Jamie, the office manager, had taken papers up to the Grady House for Grady
to sign, leaving his assistant Brandon in charge.  Brandon was on the phone
with Randy's boy Pablo, the chief mechanic at the construction site,
querying some expenses he had put in for vehicle maintenance.  Suddenly he
saw through the office window a stranger who had come through the gate and
was standing in the garden looking around.

Brandon hung up the phone and wheeled his chair out and down the ramp.
"Excuse me ... can I help you?"

When the guy turned around Brandon was surprised to see a scruffy,
surly-looking guy, maybe in his mid-twenties – scrawny, decent-looking
face under the dirt and matted brown hair.  He was wearing old jeans and a
sweaty T-shirt that looked as if he slept in them.

He scowled, "I'm looking for Jamie.  Who the fuck are you anyway?"

With an uneasy feeling Brandon said, "My name's Brandon – I'm Jamie's
friend and assistant.  He's not here right now but I can probably get him
on the phone.  What name shall I say?"

"Tell him Brigg – he'll know who I am.  We're best buds – go back a
long way.  What are you, his faggot boyfriend?  That's what this place is,
uh ... bunch of fucking faggots?  I was here before – couldn't wait to
get out of the place.  And I've come to take him away with me.  Jamie ain't
no fag – less'n he's been brainwashed by you guys.  Huh.  What good is a
cripple boy to him anyway?  Only thing you could do is suck dick."

Brandon backed away.  "Er, if you'll wait here I'll go into the office and
get Jamie on the phone."

"And dismiss me like a fucking servant?  I don't think so, asshole.  I'm
coming with you."

"No, I'm not allowed to let anyone in the office – lot of confidential
papers and ..."

"And what, you're gonna stop me, wheelchair boy?" Brigg laughed
cruelly. "Yeah right, like that's gonna happen."  He walked forward and
Brandon tried to block him with his wheelchair.  "Fuck you, kid.  Out of my
way ..."  Brigg grabbed an arm of the wheelchair and with one heave hurled
it over.  Brandon went sprawling and fell heavily on the ramp to the
office.  He threw out a defensive arm but collapsed on top of it, howling
in pain as his left wrist hit concrete.

Brigg towered over him grinning viciously as Brandon reached up with his
good arm and tried to pull the fallen wheelchair between them.  Brigg
kicked it aside and was about to stomp on Brandon when a voice said, "Hey,
mate, what to fuck you doing?"  Encouraged by the angry Australian voice
Brandon reached out and grabbed Brigg's ankle as Nate hurtled out of the
house and tackled him.

Nate and Brigg rolled over the ground trading punches, but Brigg was
evidently a tough street fighter, more than a match even for the determined
Aussie.  But the cavalry arrived in the shape of the twins.  They had heard
Nate's shout from their kitchen and came racing out, still in their aprons,
and piled on top.

Brigg fought like a tiger, landing a few good punches, one on Nate's cheek
that would surely give him a black eye.  Brandon was groaning in pain and
the fight was in full swing when, "Freeze!"  At first they thought it was
Mark, but no, it was his boy Jamie arriving home.  "What the fuck?" he
yelled.  "Brigg is that you?  Stop!  Right now!"

Jamie's commanding voice, something he had learned from Mark, had the
momentary effect of making Brigg hesitate and the other boys seized the
opportunity to pull him to his feet.  He stood there looking even more
bedraggled than before, his shirt torn, breath heaving.  "Thank Christ you
got here, Jamie, or I would have murdered these faggots."  He managed a
grin.  "I've come to take you away from here.  Best buddies – like old
times, eh?"

Jamie's first thought was for Brandon and he knelt on the ground beside
him.  "Dude, are you OK?  What happened?"

Brandon was shivering in mild shock but put on a brave face as he
stammered, "I ... I dunno, Jamie, he just showed up here asking for you,
then went kind a' crazy and upset my chair.  I think he was gonna beat me
up when Nate arrived, thank god, then the twins.  I ... I think I may have
broken my arm.  Hurts like hell."

Brigg looked around him and, seeing the odds against him, decided to make a
break.  He pulled free of the hands restraining him and made a dash for the
gate ... only to run into Pablo coming through the gate followed by his
faithful dog Billy and by Darius.  Pablo grabbed his arm tight and growled,
"Who the fuck are you?"

"Ask your buddy Jamie," Brigg snarled.

"Oh yeah, I remember you.  The asshole I beat up all that time ago when you
broke in.  Jamie, what the fuck's going on here?"

Jamie looked up from where he was calming Brandon.  "Dude, for some reason
Brigg showed up out of the blue.  Brandon offered to help him but he got
violent and pushed his chair over.  Would have beat him up if Nate hadn't
come to the rescue.  Brandon's hurt his arm."

Alarmed Pablo went and knelt beside Brandon while Darius guarded Brigg.  He
grinned his usual confident grin and said, "You ain't going anywhere dude.
One move and ..." he clenched his fist ... "get it?"

"Yeah," Brigg said sullenly.

"No dude," Darius's smile broadened.  "You don't understand.  I said, do
... you ... get ... it?"

Brigg stared at the shirtless black muscle-stud, saw the flash of cold
steel in his eyes behind the grin and said, "Yeah ..."  Darius clenched his
jaw ... "OK, yes, sir ... I get it."

"Better."  At that moment Pablo stood up from Brandon and came to confront
Brigg, glaring with a fury everyone had seen so often in Randy's eyes.
Pablo wasn't the boss's boy for nothing.

"So, asshole," he said coldly, "it seems that you called Brandon over there
a faggot, cripple boy and wheelchair boy.  Then you hurt him bad and were
gonna beat him up some more."  Pablo frowned.  "You may recall from your
stay here years ago that I am the boss's boy, he's my dad, and I get angry
real fast just like my dad.  That kid on the ground is one of the boys
here, one of my best buddies, and ya see, I don't let anyone mess with my
boys.  If my dad were here he'd have ripped you apart by now.  But see,
he's not here, so I guess that job's mine."

Pablo hauled back and slammed the back of his hand across the frightened
man's face and snarled, "You shit-for-brains asswipe."  He punctuated his
words with alternate slaps across both sides of his face.  "You dare to
come into my house ... our house ... call us a bunch of faggots ... abuse
this great kid here who's worth a hundred of you.  That makes me angry,
dude, and when I'm angry I do this ..."  He hauled back again and slammed
his fist on his jaw.

Knocked clear off his feet, Brigg staggered backward and crashed down on
his back on the grass ... and everything went black.  A few seconds later
he began to regain his wits and felt water dripping on his face.  He opened
his eyes and froze in panic.  The liquid on his face was slobber from
Billy, snarling above him, baring his terrifying fangs.

Pablo grinned.  "You remember my dog Billy, don't you dude?  Man's best
friend – and your worst nightmare.  He don't like you any more than I
do, and he does whatever I tell him.  Now me and the guys are gonna sort
things out here and while we do you don't move a fucking muscle.  `Cos one
move from you, one word from me ... and you're dog meat, pal."

Darius came up behind Pablo and said softly, "Way to go dude."  The impulse
of Darius and the other boys had been to retaliate physically, but they had
all curbed their violent instincts.  All except Pablo.  He was not Randy's
boy for nothing.  Those two curbed nothing, especially not their violent
instincts, and always found great satisfaction in a fist to the jaw.

******************************

While Pablo had been taking care of business the twins had dusted
themselves off and straightened their aprons after their brief struggle on
the ground.  And now, calm and methodical as ever, they made several phone
calls to alert the other men to the situation including, most importantly,
Brandon's master Pete.  Fortunately Pete was up the hill in his bungalow,
just home from work, so he arrived within a few minutes and Jamie quickly
explained what had happened.

By this time Brandon was back in his wheelchair but holding his left arm
and grimacing in pain.  Pete knelt beside him, covering his natural concern
for his boy by the calm professional expertise of a Forest Ranger.  He
exerted light pressure on his arm and wrist to ascertain where it hurt,
made him move his hand and wiggle his fingers.

While that was going on Eddie suddenly came flying through the gate, having
been alerted by the twins.  Jamie intercepted him and briefly filled him
in, then Eddie rushed up to Brandon and looked at him wide-eyed.  "Wow,
dude, so you beat the guy up, eh?  Way to go, stud.  You broke your arm?"

"I don't think so," Pete said with a reassuring smile.  "Probably just a
bad sprain.  But Brandon I'm gonna get you up to the first-aid clinic at my
ranger base in the park, let a nurse look at it and give you pain meds."

"OK, sir."  Instinctively Brandon tried to wheel his chair but howled in
pain.  "Damn, I can't do it."

"Dude," Eddie said, "sometimes you gotta let your friends help you.
Remember that first time I met you trying to wheel yourself up the hill
with your groceries and I ended up pushing you?  Worked then, it'll work
now," and he grabbed the handles of the chair determinedly.

"Thanks, Eddie," Pete smiled.  "We can solve the chair issue.  Can you come
with us?"

"Try keeping me away sir.  Me and Brandon are best buddies, we go way
back."  Brandon grinned, feeling better already, boosted by Pete's
reassuring strength and Eddie's effervescent support, and the three of them
left together.

Attention turned back to the terrified Brigg, staring up at Billy and
trying hard not to move. The four senior boys moved out of earshot and
pondered their next moves.  Each of them, with their individual talents and
personalities, had his part to play.

Nate had already played his.  As house manager it was his job to ensure the
integrity of the compound and he had certainly averted a catastrophe by
rescuing Brandon in the nick of time, receiving a black eye in the process
which he now nursed.  Pablo had asserted his status as boss's boy with
fists flying (Randy would have been proud), and the assistance of his pal
Billy in his efficient guard-dog role.

The twins, always a calm, authoritative presence befitting Bob's boys had,
after their first skirmish, held back and methodically alerted the rest of
the tribe.  And the self-assured Darius watched over everything with his
commanding presence and the curiosity of an observer, mentally recording
events for posterity (or `prosperity' as he persisted in calling it.)
Besides, his piece of the action would come soon enough.

And what of Jamie?  He recalled Mark's advice of just two weeks ago –
firmness and compassion – and now made his position clear to the five
senior boys.  "Guys, I feel it's my responsibility to resolve this mess.
Brigg showed up here to see me and take me back to our old street life
together.  Obviously that's not gonna happen, and my former partner in
crime has clearly not changed much.  What he did to Brandon was
unforgivable and has to be punished."

Jamie took a deep breath.  "But Mark has a saying – `justice should
always be tempered with mercy.'  I think we all wanted to slug the guy, as
Pablo did, and we inwardly cheered him on.  Thanks dude.  But before we do
anything else I would like to talk to Brigg and get a sense of what brought
all this on, and why he is so hostile to the world.  Then we senior boys
can get together and decide where we go from here.  Agreed?"

"Agreed," they said in chorus."  Then suddenly there came the sound of slow
handclapping.

Randy and Zack had been having a directors' meeting with Bob and Mark at
the construction site when word came from the twins and they all piled into
Randy's truck and raced home.  They had rushed through the gate but pulled
up short as they saw a scene of calm deliberation where the immediate
danger was removed by the looming presence of Billy.  So they stood there
and listened, impressed by the way their boys were handling what had been a
traumatic event.

Hence the clapping.  Now they walked forward and Mark smiled proudly at
Jamie.  "Well, you guys seem to have everything pretty much under control.
So who's responsible for that?" pointing at the bruised and shivering guy.

"That would be me, sir," said Pablo, grinning at Randy.

"That's my boy," Randy smiled.  "Straight right to the jaw was it?

"Pretty much, sir, after a few warm-up shots.  Then I let Billy take over."

"How's Brandon?" Bob asked the twins.

Kyle answered, "Pete thinks it's just a bad sprain, sir.  He and Eddie have
taken him to the first-aid at the ranger station to check it out.
Brandon's only worry is he can't wheel his own chair, but Pete says he's
got a solution for that too."

"And how are you, Nate?  That's a pretty good shiner you've got there.  Ah,
here comes Adam."

Adam came through the gate from next door, looked closely at Nate and
kissed his bruised cheek gently.  "I hear you're the hero of the hour,
mate," he said in his deep Australian drawl.  "But it takes more than a
shiner to beat an Aussie down, eh boy?  No worries, mate, when I get you
home I'll take your mind off it."

Mark said to Jamie.  "So, you think you've got this covered, Jamie?"

"Of course, sir.  I'm your boy aren't I?

"You sure are, stud.  OK guys, what say we leave the boys to it, we kick
back in my apartment and break open a six-pack of beer?"

Randy grinned, "You said the magic words, officer.  Lead the way."

********************************

The boys all sensed that this was a test of their leadership as senior
boys, but they also agreed that they should take their cue from Jamie as he
knew Brigg better than any of them.  After all, a long time ago they had
originally come to the house together (broke in actually), though their
paths had diverged widely since then.

But before anything else Darius addressed them all with his usual mix of
authority and mischief.  "Guys, before Jamie has his little pow-wow with
ragged boy over there, there's something I want to clear up.  And I think
it's a crucial fact you should know about him up front, Jamie.  See, what
pisses me off the most is how he called Brandon – pardon my French –
a faggot, then accused us all of being a `bunch of faggots'."  There were
murmurs of disgust from the group.

"Right, now when I hear a guy throw the F word around, especially when
combined with the N word ..." he grinned roguishly ... "as in `nigger
faggot' ... yeah, yeah, I'm used to that.  Well like I was saying, when I
hear that, after I've thumped the guy and kicked him to the curb, I get to
wondering what exactly is behind it.

"I usually have my suspicions, as I do with this Brigg character.  But
you'll never get the answer just by asking the guy ... by that time my
guy's still spitting out teeth anyway.  No, you gotta demonstrate it
... and there's one surefire way to do that.  So, gentlemen, if you will
indulge me, I would like to stage a little demonstration.

The boys loved Darius when he got into this mood ... treating a deadly
serious subject with a comedic touch and the flair of a ringmaster ... and
they willingly let him take charge.

At this point Ben rushed in with a look of alarm.  He was one of the
so-called `three-amigos' with Brandon and Eddie, and had imagined the worst
when he got the news.  But Nate quickly reassured him that everything was
under control and they joined the boys looking down at the frightened man
cowering on the ground under Billy.

The shirtless Darius, arms folded across his muscular chest, was an
imposing sight towering astride Brigg.  "OK, asshole, here's the deal.
That `wheelchair boy', the `faggot' you attacked, is a special friend of
mine and if it were up to me I'd take over where my buddy Pablo left off
... I'd thrash the fuck out of you and leave you face down in the dirt
where you belong.

"However ... calmer heads have prevailed and instead of a thrashing all I'm
allowed to do is a small experiment on you.  So here's what's gonna happen.
First I'm gonna have my buddy call off his dog, but he'll only be a
split-second leap away from you.  So, you can either be my lab rat ... or
dog meat.  Your choice."  He flashed a white-tooth smile as Brigg cringed.
"Thought so."

"OK, first things first.  You're a fucking mess, you look like a dog's
dinner – oops, bad choice of words.  So when I meet a guy who stinks,
first thing I make him do is take a shower.  Pablo, could you do the
honors?"

With an almost imperceptible sound Pablo called Billy off and, with a last
snarl, he came and sat beside his master without taking his eyes off the
enemy.  Then Darius frog-marched Brigg over to a wall of the house and
picked up the garden hose.  "Nothing like a cold shower on a hot day like
this, eh dude?  Now while I'm showering you, you my friend are gonna strip
naked."

Brigg flinched and glared at him, about to protest, but Darius shrugged,
"Dog meat, Briggy-boy."  So he sullenly complied and while Darius poured
water over his head Brigg pulled off the torn remains of his shirt, kicked
off his sneakers and pushed down his jeans and shorts.

While Darius hosed him down the other senior boys got a good look at him
naked.  Great physical specimens as they all were they cast expert eyes
over his body, which could only be described as scrawny.  But the
proportions were right – tall, fairly wide shoulders, slim waist and
hips.  Pablo muttered to Nate, Jamie and the twins, "A month in the gym
with Randy he wouldn't look half bad."

Kevin said, "Pity about that permanent scowl on his face – hard to call
him good-looking."  Nate agreed.  "Too right, mate.  Wonder what a smile
would do – if the bloke can smile."

When the shower was over Darius threw him a towel from off one of the
chaises and he dried off.  Darius pulled him over to a wooden Adirondack
chair beside the lawn and pushed him down on it, still naked.  He picked up
the wet remains of his T-shirt, wrung it out, ripped it in two and twisted
it into two ropes that he used to tie Brigg's wrists to the arms of the
chair.

"Right, all set.  Don't even think of getting free, dude.  See I'm pretty
much a bondage expert – hell, I live with one – so all you can do,
Briggy-boy, is watch.

"See, I get the very distinct impression that you don't like faggots.
Probably don't care for niggers either would be my guess."  Darius reached
out and pulled Pablo next to him.  Well what you see here before you, dude,
as a couple of proud Grade A faggots – and a mixed-race couple too
... yuck!  Thing is though, we also happen to be lovers, who fuck whenever
we get the chance."  He gave his dazzling smile.  "Like ... right now
perhaps?"

He turned to face Pablo who grinned and murmured, "Son of a bitch, dude."
Then their mouths locked in a ravenous, churning kiss, their hands groping
each other's bodies as they ground their crotches hard together.  When at
last they broke away Darius looked at Brigg who was pulling hopelessly at
his bound wrist, his head turned away to the side in evident disgust.

"Ah, I see you're starting to get the idea, boy.  I hear you're a stud with
the ladies and now you're forced to watch two fucking faggots getting it
on.  Oh, a word about that.  I wouldn't turn your head away or close your
eyes if I were you.  Our other buddies love to watch us fuck – Billy
does too if it comes to that, except that this time he's sitting three feet
away and only has eyes for you.  Also, it's late for his dinner, he's
hungry and drooling so ... don't close your eyes, pal.

"Great.  OK – foreplay.  This is how my man and me usually start."
Pablo pulled off his shirt and they stood stripped to the waist facing
their captive.  They kicked off their shoes and Darius said, "Now this bit
you really gotta see, dude."

Pablo turned his back to Brigg and they both began to push down their
jeans, lower and lower until the other boys gasped.  Everyone, including
the reluctant Brigg, was staring at the monster ten-inch black club that
sprang out side by side with the round white globes of a perfect ass.
"Ta-da!" laughed Darius, indicating their endowments with a stylish wave of
the hand like a game-show hostess.  "A match made in heaven, wouldn't you
say?"

Brigg was gripping the arms of the chair tight and staring at the cock and
ass, and not only, Darius guessed, out of fear of Billy.

"OK, stud," Darius said to Pablo as they faced each other again.  Unless
you want a dry fuck, you better lube me up."  Pablo fell to his knees, held
the rigid cock in his fist and licked the head lovingly.  Then he opened
his mouth wide and Brigg witnessed the incredible sight of the long black
pole disappearing into Pablo's mouth, inch by inch by inch until his face
was nestled in a mass of wiry black pubic hair.

Darius pulled back slowly and pushed again into the handsome, high-cheeked
Mestizo face with its almond shaped eyes and long black hair.  He eased in
and out only a few times (this was a demonstration after all) before
pulling out and saying, "OK, now you see, Briggy, we believe in give and
take, so now it's my turn on my knees.

The lovers traded places and Darius knelt behind Pablo, making sure Brigg
had a perfect view.  "Man," Darius moaned dramatically, "will you look at
that fucking gorgeous ass!  An ass that could make a grown man weep
... except a man like you of course, Briggy.  But even you gotta admit that
is a beautiful butt."  He licked the dimpled cheeks, kissed them, then
buried his face between them, pushing his tongue in the ass, slurping,
probing.

At last he pulled away wide eyed, his chiseled, ebony features shining,
mouth dripping with saliva.  "Tell you, Briggy, ain't nothing like the
taste of a hot ass as perfect as this one.  No, I tell a lie.  There is one
thing better ... pushing your dick inside it."  He stood up and held his
big pulsing shaft right over Brigg's face.

"See that, dripping from the end?  That's called pre-cum, dude.  Means that
real soon I'm gonna be blasting a big load of jizz deep in my man's
spectacular ass.  My balls are fit to burst, I tell ya.  Just look at
them."  Darius shook his cock slightly and drops of pre-cum dripped on
Brigg's face.  "Ah, shit, sorry, dude.  I forgot you're not into that.
Although, hey, what's this?"

Darius looked down at Brigg's cock that had started out limp and was now
semi-hard. Can it be?  Nah ... are you getting just a tad turned on by my
ten-inch club and my buddy's perfect butt?"

"No way, man," Brigg growled.

"Nah, thought not.  Probably thinking about all those broads you fucked
– love `em and leave `em, uh?  The big stud around town.  Well, sorry I
can't stand around chatting, dude.  I got an ass to fuck."  He turned to
Pablo.  "OK, man, assume the position.  Time for the big finish."

Pablo dropped to the ground and knelt on all fours, sideways on to Brigg
only a few feet away.  Darius knelt behind him and pushed the head of his
long rod between the white cheeks.  He grinned at Brigg, "Here we go, dude
... the miracle of love."  This time it wasn't slow, not inch by inch.
Darius reached forward, grabbed Pablo's waist, paused ... and then drove
his shaft hard all the way down to the hot depths of his lover's ass.

"Aaagh," Pablo howled, head jerking back, his black hair flying.  But it
was not a cry of pain.  "Yeah, fuck me man.  Shove that humungous dick in
my butt.  I love you, dude.  Come on, plough that fucking ass!"

The next few minutes dazzled the watching boys, all of them now stroking
their cocks as they circled behind Brigg's chair, mesmerized by the
spectacle of the black shaft pistoning into the white mounds of the
Mestizo's ass.  "Yeah, give it to him, mate," Nate yelled.  "Man that's so
fucking hot."  And the others joined in, yelling, goading, pounding their
cocks as they watched the boss's boy get jackhammered by his muscular black
lover.

Darius was gleaming with sweat as he fucked but he still kept an eye on
Brigg and grinned as he saw his cock had swelled to rock hardness, his eyes
riveted on the spectacle of the massive black cock ramrodding the flexed
ass.  Without losing his rhythm Darius reached over and deftly released
Brigg's right hand.  "Go ahead, dude," he grinned.  "Touch it.  You know
you wanna touch your dick, buddy.  You want it real, bad.  The other guys
are beating their meat.  And you're the stud.  Show us what a stud you are.
Do it!"

Brigg forgot who he was or why he was here.  All he could see was the long
black shaft driving into the gorgeous white ass.  Inhibitions flew to the
wind as he touched his cock, stroked it, then pounded it like the other
guys.  Darius knew he had him, knew that the time had come.  "OK, guys," he
shouted to the group, "let's do this thing.  You ready, men?  Shit damn, my
balls are bursting ... I'm gonna shoot ... here it comes ... yeah, fuck
yeah ... fuuuck ...!"

His screams were joined by all the others as he blasted his jizz deep
inside Pablo, who yelled as his body bucked and he sprayed cum all over the
grass beneath him.  Brigg was pounding his cock in a frenzy and threw his
head back in ecstasy.  Behind him the boys all climaxed together, spurting
plumes of jizz high in the air that splashed down into the upturned face.

"Yeah!"  Brigg opened his mouth to drink their semen pouring down on him as
his own cock exploded in the most intense orgasm he had ever known.

It was some time before hearts beat slower, breathing slowed, and Darius
pulled out of Pablo's ass.  He reached down, pulled Pablo to his feet and
threw his arm over his shoulder, staring down at the shuddering man
smothered in the sperm of six men ... and his own.

"Well," Darius said matter-of-factly, "no doubt about it.  I'd say my
little demonstration is conclusive.  OK, Jamie, now you know what you're
dealing with.  Glad I could help."  Then to Brigg, "And dude, you can drop
the attitude ... and no more with the F word, OK?  `Cos you know what?
... you're one too.  Get used to it.  Hey, Kyle, Kevin, I'm fucking
starved.  Anything you can do about that?"

They laughed at their amazing friend and Kyle said, "Well, we have to get
on with dinner prep but if you all come to the kitchen I'm sure we can
rustle up a snack or two, eh Kevin?"

And so they all trooped off together, all except Jamie who was left alone
with his former buddy for their little chat.

*****************************

"Briggsy," Jamie said, using the nickname he always used to.  I'm gonna
leave you for just a few minutes and get something from the house.  You'll
be quite safe while I'm gone."  He hurried inside where Mark, Randy, Bob,
Zack and Adam were all drinking.

"Did you watch, sirs?" he asked.

"You think we'd miss all that?" Randy chortled.  "`Course we watched.
Fucking amazing."

"I can't stop.  I came for some clothes for Brigg, then I'll find out
what's really going on."

Mark gave him a quick hug.  "I'm proud of you, buddy."

Back outside Brigg was sitting with his head bowed still with one hand tied
to the chair.  Jamie had brought scissors that he used to cut through the
cloth binding him.  "Look, I've brought you a towel and some of my clothes
– a polo shirt, cargo shorts and sneakers.  They should fit."

"I don't want your damn charity, big-shot."

Jamie sighed.  This was going to be uphill.  "It's not charity, dude, and
I'm no big-shot.  It's just new clothes and we need to talk.  Here, let me
dry you off.  He pulled Brigg's head back and wiped the cum off his face,
and the man was surprised to see Jamie smiling.  With a surly look he put
on the clothes, sat down, and Jamie sat opposite him.

"Look," Brigg snarled, "let's get one thing clear.  What just happened here
was not what you think.  I was forced to do it by that nigg ..." He stopped
short as Jamie's eyes blazed.  "... by that guy.  Shit, I was tied up, what
the fuck was I supposed to do?  He'd have turned the damn dog on me."

"Oh Briggsy, you should know by now that we don't go in for bullshit round
here.  We can see it coming from a mile away.  So listen to me.  What you
did to that poor kid Brandon is what got everyone so riled up.  But all I
want you to do is answer a few questions.  Like where did you come from
– your home in St. Louis?"

"Yeah."

"And how did you get here?"

"Had some money for a bus part of the way, hitched the rest."

"And you have no money left?"  Brigg shook his head.  "OK, now for the main
question.  Why did you come?"

Brigg mumbled something that seemed to end in "... to go."

"Excuse me?"

He raised his head defiantly but had tears in his eyes.  "I said I had
nowhere else to go."

"What about your family – your mom and dad?"

Now the tears flowed.  "Mom died.  She couldn't take any more from my dad,
that asshole."  Jamie covered Brigg's hand with his.  "Then he started in
on me ... called me ... called me a faggot and took his belt to me, so I
hightailed it out of there.  Nothing left for me there after my mom went.
I was scared he'd come after me so I hopped a bus headed west.  I got no
other friends so ... so I came here."  Then he snarled through his tears,
"And here you are, all high and mighty with your hotshot boyfriends ..."

Jamie withdrew his hand.  "Stop it!  Look, Briggsy, you gotta lose that
chip off your shoulder.  By the way, when did you last eat ... a proper
meal, I mean?"

He wiped his tears away with the back of his hand and sniffed.  "Dunno,
days ago."

"OK, here's what I can do.  You can join us all for dinner and, if Mark
agrees, you can stay here tonight.  Then we'll take it from there, OK?"

His heart went out to his former friend, lost and beaten down by life, and
his voice softened.  "Briggsy, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom.  Life
can be weird ... all a matter of luck I guess.  I landed on my feet here,
made something of myself with the help of the men here, and I'm totally in
love with Mark, that cop you met last time, and he loves me.

"But Briggsy, fate dealt you a bad hand back in St. Louis with that brutal
dad of yours.  And now with your mom gone ..."  Jamie sighed.  "Things
could so easily have gone differently for both of us, Briggsy.  There but
for the love of a good man ... and so on.  So I'll do everything I can for
you.  But I'll have to ask Mark first ..."

There was a cough behind them.  Mark stepped forward and said, "Guys, I
hope you'll forgive me but I'm afraid I heard your conversation.  Not a
cool thing to do, I know, but in this case it was all for the good.  I
agree with everything Jamie said, boy, and I promise no one will hurt you
while you're here.  They won't forgive you for what you did `cos Brandon is
a big favorite around here.  But you'll find they're a decent bunch of guys
and if you can lose that resentful attitude of yours things should go
pretty smoothly."

******************************

Men and boys were starting to drift into the garden gathering for dinner
and were content to leave Brigg in the company of Mark and Jamie who seemed
to have calmed things down.  The sound of a truck came from outside the
gate and Eddie bounced in.

"Dudes," he said dramatically, with outstretched palms.  "You are never
gonna believe this.  Behind Door Number One ... Ta-Da."  He waved his hand
with a flourish and in through the gate sailed Brandon maneuvering an
electric power wheelchair with his right hand.  His left arm was in a
sling.

"Dude," Ben gushed, "that is so cool.  Can I hitch a ride?"  He sat on
Brandon's lap and took over the control while Eddie perched on the platform
at the back.  He raised his arm and yelled, "The Three Amigos ride again,"
as they raced around to whoops and laughter from the crowd.

When things calmed down and the boys hopped off the chair Pete explained,
"We keep some of those at the ranger's station for visitors who can't get
around easily.  So I borrowed one for Brandon `cos the nurse says his arm
will be in a sling for a while.  It's a bad sprain so he won't be able to
wheel his own chair for a week or two."

Brandon spotted Brigg standing silently between Mark and Jamie and he
wheeled up to him.  "Hey, dude," he said ... "nice clothes ... looks
better.  He smiled shyly and held out his right hand.  "Hey, no hard
feelings, eh?  These things happen."

Brigg hesitated but at a nudge from Jamie he shook hands with Brandon.  A
silence fell over the crowd at this magnanimous gesture by Brandon, which
could put them all to shame as they nursed their hostile feelings.  He had
set the tone of forgiveness and Pete teared up as he looked at Bob, Mark
and the guys, then came and knelt beside his boy and hugged him.

An awkward silence followed, broken by Jamie, who became all business.
"Brandon when you were ... interrupted earlier you probably didn't have
time to close out your work for the day.  Would you mind finishing it off
now before dinner?  I realize you'll only be able to use your computer with
your right hand so maybe Eddie could go with you and help."

"You mean be his left-hand man?" Eddie said brightly and roared with
laughter at his own joke.  "Come on, dude, let's do it," and he followed
Brandon's wheelchair up the ramp to the office.

Nate said, "And Ben, you think you could you give me a hand finishing up in
the master suite.  I still had some stuff to do when I ... er ... came out
here to the rescue."

Bob smiled proudly at the other men.  "How about them boys of ours eh?
Just the right touch ... the seniors putting the younger ones to work
... back to the old routine ... no more drama."

The twins emerged from the kitchen with trays of drinks and appetizers.
"Pablo and Darius," Kyle grinned, "you don't seem to have a job right now
so how about helping us in the kitchen?"

Pablo huffed, "What me? The ..."

"Yeah, yeah, the boss's boy," Kevin smiled, "we know all about that.  Maybe
we should clear it with the boss, then?"

"Fuck you and your gorgeous twin," Pablo laughed.  "OK, Darius, let's show
these guys how to cook."

But before anyone moved, another car drew up at the gate and Randy yelled,
"Hey, you know who that is?"  The gate opened and Randy said, "Mike you old
scoundrel, so you made it."  He strode over and gave him a bear hug.
"Yep," Mike said, "I took a couple days off from the bar so I was wondering
if you could give an old desert rat a place to hang his hat for a day or
two.

There was a whoop of enthusiasm for Mike, the middle-aged owner of a
leather bar in Palm Springs who had lately become a good friend of the
tribe, dispensing his wisdom whenever trouble erupted.  They had invited
him for the weekend but he hadn't been sure if he could take the time off,
so now men and boys crowded around him enthusiastically.

Eventually things settled down and he sat drinking with the men.
"Actually, Mike," Bob said, "you missed all the excitement.  It's been
quite a day here."  They filled Mike in on the events, each man adding his
own piece of the story, as Mike listened with growing amazement.  "Holy
shit," he said when they finished, "you guys don't mess around do you?  Is
that the villain of the piece over there?"

He nodded over to the end of the table where Brigg was sitting looking lost
and confused as Jamie spoke to him.  Hmm," Mike said pensively, "the kid
reminds me of someone."  Bob gave him a questioning look.  "Reminds me of
me when I was his age ... abandoned, friendless, kicked out of my home.
Like him I headed west and kinda washed up in the desert with eight bucks
in my pocket."

Randy looked at his old friend through new eyes.  "Mike, you never told us
..."

"Ah, long time ago, when you, you big lug, were still a sexy gleam in your
daddy's eye."  He grinned, "Same gleam you have when you look at Bob."
Just then Jamie got up from the table leaving Brigg looking even more
abandoned and Mike said, "OK if I go over and talk to him?

"Help yourself, Mike," Bob said.

Mike picked up a full beer bottle, sauntered over to Brigg and sat opposite
him.  Brigg looked at him through dull eyes and mumbled, "Who are you?"

"The name's Mike," he said cheerfully.  "How's your beer?"  Brigg shoved
his empty bottle away from him.  "Thought so," Mike grinned.  "I run a bar
and can always tell that empty-bottle look in a man's eye.  Here take this
one."  He pushed the bottle toward him. "So what's your name?"

"Brigg."

"You got a first name?  I always think first names are more friendly."

Brigg looked up and stared at Mike curiously, trying to figure out his
angle.  "They call me Briggsy."  Mike smiled, "That's not what I asked."
The boy sighed.  "It's Larry, but nobody ever calls me that."

"Except me," Mike grinned.  "If it's OK with you."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

"And you can call me `sir'.  `Cos I'm a lot older than you – probably
about the same age as your dad, am I right?"

"Yeah, I guess so, but he's ... I mean you're ..."

"I'm not mean like him, right?  Or so you'll find out.  See, once upon a
time I had a dad like that."

Larry looked up at Mike and squinted, as if really seeing him for the first
time.  "You say you run a bar?"

"Yeah, I own it, out in the desert – Palm Springs.  It's mostly a
leather bar ..." Mike looked him straight in the eye ... "mostly men."

"I saw signs to Palms Springs coming here on the freeway.  Wondered what it
was like.  What's it like, anyway?  Pretty fancy, I've heard."

"Well Larry, I'll tell you ..."

At the other end of the table the men were watching curiously.  "What do
you think they're talking about?" asked Zack.

Bob smiled a knowing smile.  "Oh, this and that I imagine.  Just two guys
getting to know each other ..."

***********************************

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 345

Author's note: This chapter refers back to Jamie's first arrival at the
house and his subsequent acceptance by Mark as his boy.  If you are
interested in going back and rediscovering these chapters, they are:

Chapters 33 & 34:   Jamie's arrival at the house.
Chapters 36 & 37:   Jamie falls in love with Mark.

-------------------------------------------------

Hey guys, this is Rob Williams.  I hope that chapter got you off, and I
welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in
planning future chapters.  E-mail me in confidence at rw6789@aol.com.

ALSO, I invite you to visit my Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You can
read the whole story, all the many chapters, with extras, including
pictures and biographies of all the characters.  Click on the `Our Story'
tab to read the current chapter, or click on the green button to browse all
the chapter synopses.  Enjoy