A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 214 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER: When the cop Mark goes berserk, Bob seeks solace in the arms of his lover, Randy. The swarthy gypsy towers over the naked man like a wild animal about to pounce on his prey and Bob submits to Randy's sexual magnetism. Mark and his boy Jamie seek therapy from Doctor Steve, where the young blond surfer ends up buck naked in the office, begging his master the cop to take his ass.

Chapter 214 – "Great Sex Heals All Wounds"

There is an old saying among cops that whatever the stress or anger you build up on the job you should never take it home with you. Many a cop has ignored that rule and has taken out his anger on the people closest to him, sometimes with tragic results. Burnout is a phenomenon that creeps up on a man unawares, and a cop, especially, doesn't recognize it until it boils over – and even then his macho instinct is to deny it.

Mark had had a tough time of it lately, working back-to-back shifts, encountering harrowing situations as he rode his motorcycle over the sun-baked streets of Los Angeles. His closest friend, Bob, had seen the troubling stress signs in Mark's eyes for some time but wasn't sure how to address the situation, knowing that Mark would, like most cops, insist that nothing was wrong. But then the crunch came ... and it was rough.

Mark had responded to a reported domestic dispute, and seeing a brute beating a woman made him snap. He had lost control, thrashed the man and would have killed him had the backup cops not arrived, pulled him off and told him to go home. Wound up tight as a coiled spring Mark strode out of the house, threw his leg over his motorcycle and gunned it. He knew what he wanted – the soft touch of his boy and the warmth of his ass.

But when he got home, hours before his usual time, and went into his bedroom Jamie was not there. Mark roared with rage at the empty bed ... "Fuck him! ... Fuck him!" Then he heard voices from Adam's house next door. Incensed, he ran out of the apartment, through the gate linking the houses and stopped dead in his tracks.

Jamie was there with Nate and Mario, all of them laughing, giggling, crawling over the muscular near-naked Aussie, Adam. The three boys were close friends and were simply horsing around with Adam, teasing him that they could make his dick hard without touching it.

But that's not how the delusional cop saw it. "You fucking slut!" Mark screamed, making the four of them break apart in shock. The uniformed cop loomed over them with crazed eyes and yanked Jamie to his feet. Adam leapt up and said, "What the fuck? Man, what's happened? You gone crazy? Leave the kid alone, he wasn't doing any harm."

"Back off, man, and keep your hands off my boy," Mark yelled. Adam reached out to restrain him but Mark raised his fist and slammed it across the Aussie's face sending him crashing to the ground. Mario and Nate tried to pull Jamie out of his grasp but Mark hit them too and sent them reeling, with Nate falling limply close to Adam. In the stunned confusion Mark dragged a terrified Jamie through the gate and into their apartment where he hurled him onto the bed.

Wildly Mark yelled, "You betrayed me, boy! You were fucking with that jerk but your ass belongs to me and I'll prove it." He ripped open his uniform pants and pulled out his cock, rigid with roaring adrenaline and blind lust. He knelt on the bed and plunged it into the boy's ass.

In his dementia Mark was hallucinating and saw not Jamie but the battered woman, heard her screams rather than his boy's, saw again the disgusting face of the brute beating her. Mark was kneeling over the thug again, slapping his face, punching him as he brutally fucked his ass. He was getting even with the world.

His boy's screams finally snapped him back to reality, but it was a warped reality where he saw Jamie getting fucked by Adam. "He fucked your ass, you little tramp. He fucked you!"

"No, sir please, he didn't. We were just playing. Please, sir, don't hit me again ... I love you sir, please ... aaagh...!" His agonized scream echoed round the room as Mark's cock exploded deep in his shattered ass. Panting wildly the cop looked at the handsome blond face twisted in pain, tears streaming down the cheeks. Mark winced in confusion. Then, once again, it was the face of his boy, the boy he loved. He had been hurt, he was sobbing ... and through the fog of confusion Mark realized that the brute was himself.

He reared back in a panic ... He was lost ... he didn't know ... couldn't think..." He ran blindly from the room, out to the garden, then up the stairs to the one place he would be safe. He fell into Bob's arms just as he was about to come down, alarmed by the screams. Mark was totally incoherent ... "I hurt him ... hit him ...my god ... hit them all ... Adam ... his boy. Help me, man ... I can't ...I can't..."

There was only one way to calm this kind of hysteria and Bob slapped him hard across the face. Reflexively Mark hit back and clamped his hands round Bob's throat choking him. Bob grabbed his wrists and gasped, "It's me, Mark ... Bob. Are you going to kill me too? I love you, man."

In total bewilderment Mark stopped, gazed into the beautiful brown eyes of the man he loved... and suddenly went limp, collapsing on Bob sobbing like a terrified child.

Bob had to act fast, knowing that sympathy was not what was called for right now. Tough love was the answer. He pushed Mark off him and went to a cabinet for some brandy, leaving Mark slumped in a chair, his face streaming with sweat, with the haunted expression of a man just waking from a nightmare. Bob pulled out his phone and punched the number of Doctor Steve. "Steve," he said quietly, "thank god you're there. Please come over fast. It's an emergency."

Then he forced Mark to drink some brandy and said to him firmly, "OK, I'll help you, but you have to do just what I tell you. First you've gotta go back to your boy who must be feeling terrified and alone. Come, I'll help you." They stumblingly retraced Mark's steps into his ground-floor apartment and into the bedroom where Jamie was lying on the bed sobbing hysterically in pain and despair.

Mark looked down at him, puzzled at first but then recognizing the enormity of what he had done. He fell on the bed and folded his arms round his boy. Jamie was mumbling, "I didn't do anything, sir, I swear it. I've been a good boy... I love you sir."

Bob took a deep breath and gazed at the two sobbing men – the distraught boy with red marks on his face, his clothes ripped, enfolded in the desperate embrace of the uniformed cop.

Jesus Christ, Bob thought, what a fucking mess. He had suspected that Mark was close to the breaking point but had no idea that when he snapped it would be as bad as this. He hoped Steve would have some answers, and that Mark's relationship with Jamie was not shattered beyond repair. And god knows what Adam would do. With his Aussie machismo he sure as hell wouldn't let the cop get away with striking his boy.

Now that the initial trauma had been dealt with and Bob waited for Steve, he realized that he himself was in mild shock and instinctively reached for his phone, tapped a number and held it to his ear. His voice was unsteady as he said, "Randy, I need you. Mark's had some kind of breakdown and gone crazy. I can't do this on my own, buddy. I need your arms round me."

Bob decided to leave Mark on the bed where he was. He wasn't hurting Jamie now and, in any case, Bob would have had no idea what to do next if he tried to move Mark or reason with him. He poured himself a stiff brandy, kept a watchful eye on Mark and waited. It wasn't long before he heard a car pull up at the gate, a door slam, and in seconds Steve was in the room. He had evidently been at home as he was wearing jeans and a T-shirt hanging loose over his muscular torso.

He saw right away that Bob was badly shaken and he put his arms round him. Then he pulled him gently over to the other side of the room where Bob tried to be as concise as possible in describing what had happened. "And I'm afraid he'll hurt the boy again, Steve."

"No, he's in a state of collapse now and not dangerous. I'll talk to him in a minute and then give him an injection to make him sleep. Shit, I should have seen this coming – I've treated so many cops suffering from burnout. Mark's missed a couple of therapy sessions lately that patrolmen are mandated to have. That should a have been a red flag for me. Mark's a great cop and we've had many sessions in the past so I know his mind well. I'll take care of him now."

Steve looked down at the trembling Jamie. "You should take Jamie to your room, Bob. Give him some brandy, keep him warm and then make him some hot, sweet tea. Have some yourself too, you've had a shock. Hey, what are those marks on your throat, bruises?"

Bob grinned weakly. "Mark had a go at me too until he realized it was me. I'll be just fine. But I'm sure glad you're here, buddy." They went to the bed, gently separated Jamie from Mark, and Bob pulled the boy up in his arms. "It's OK, Jamie. Doctor Steve's here now and Mark's gonna be fine. I'm gonna take you to my room and you'll be safe there with Randy and me. Can you walk OK?"

Jamie was weak, still in a state of shock, and his ass hurt like mad, but he allowed himself to be helped next door and up into Bob and Randy's master suite where Bob wrapped a blanket round him, sat him in an armchair and made him drink some brandy. Bob went into their small kitchen and was brewing the tea when he heard a truck screech to a halt and in seconds Randy burst into the room, his eyes blazing. "What the fuck's happened here?"

Calmly, careful not to inflame his impetuous lover, Bob gave him an edited version of events. "Are you OK?" Randy voiced his primary concern. "Shit, what are those marks on your neck? He hurt you didn't he? He choked you – could've killed you. Son-of-a-bitch, I'll fucking kill the mother-fucker." With his fists clenched he strode to the door but Bob grabbed him.

"Please Randy, no ... please don't. Mark was out of his mind, didn't know it was me. I'm fine. But look, Jamie's had a bad scare and he's trying to come to grips with what Mark did to him. I'm gonna sit with him then put him to bed. But you could do something for me ... go next door and see what he did to Adam and the two boys." Just then they heard the approaching sound of emergency sirens. "Oh shit," Bob said.

Randy's anger abated as quickly as it had flared up and he went into action. "Stay here with the boy. I'll take care of all this. He wrapped his arms round Bob, who said, "That's all I needed, Randy – to feel your arms round me. Now I know things'll be OK."

Randy chucked him under the chin. "Hey, you're my guy. You'll always be OK, buddy. You got me."

He ran next door just as the paramedics were pulling up outside. Mario was on his feet but Adam was kneeling beside an inert Nate. He looked up at Randy and said, "When Mark hit him Nate hit his head on a tree-stump when he fell. I think he's just concussed but I called the paramedics to take him to the hospital for a checkup.

The paramedics came in, got a briefing from Adam and took Nate's vitals. "He's stable," one of them said. "Looks like a concussion but we'll take him to the E.R. where they'll examine him and probably keep him in overnight for observation. Will you be filing charges against the man who did this, sir?"

"Nah," Adam said grimly, rubbing his clenched fist. "We take care of stuff like this in-house."

As they prepared the gurney the other boys came in discretely and watched nervously. "I'll go with him," Adam said, but stumbled and steadied himself against a tree. He had an ugly bruise on his cheek, and Mario was dazed also, nursing a cut lip. "No," Randy said, "neither one of you is in any shape to go."

"I can help, sir," came a firm voice, and Pablo stepped forward. "Sir, I know Adam wants to be with his boy so when he's rested a while I'll take him to the hospital and stay with him. I can take turns with him sitting with Nate. I won't leave him, sir, until we're sure Nate's OK."

Randy looked at Pablo with surprise and pride and realized he was making amends for his recent bullying behavior. "That's my boy. I know you can handle it. Come on Adam, we'll get you patched up and then Pablo can take over. You'll be in good hands ... he's my boy."

Finally calm was restored. After a short talk with a still-incoherent Mark, Steve helped him out of his uniform and gave him an injection that would make him sleep soundly for the next ten hours. Steve was an M.D. as well as a psychologist and he determined that deep sleep would take care of Mark's initial trauma. After that the rebuilding would begin.

Mario, the least injured of them, ran up to Bob's room to check on Jamie. Still confused and scared Jamie asked if he could sleep with Mario in his room, and Mario readily agreed. The young Italian was always turned on by Jamie but tonight, as they lay naked in bed, Mario simply put his arms round his shaken friend and held him all night.

In the hospital Nate was given a sedative and slept while Adam watched over him. But Adam's own injuries made him groggy and he napped frequently. So Pablo kept vigil all night, talking softly to Nate in the hope that, even in sleep, his soothing voice would help him recover more quickly. Pablo had had his differences with Nate in the past, even injured him, but now he knew his leadership skills were being tested in a way that called for something quite the opposite from the physical force he usually resorted to. Randy would be proud.

At the house, now that everyone was being cared for Bob started to relax. But as the tension drained from him his mind wandered to the searing image of a frenzied Mark and his desperate boy and Bob felt lost and afraid. He was saved by the Randy's deep firm voice. "Come here, buddy."

Bob willingly let himself be enfolded in Randy's arms. "Man, that was rough," he said. "Mark was like a whole different guy ... it's hard to believe he could be that brutal to his boy. He raped him, the boy he loves and would protect with his life." His body shuddered against Randy. "It's real scary that love as deep as theirs can be shattered in minutes. Makes you think... It almost happened to us once or twice."

Randy smiled. "You know what you need, buddy. Reassurance."

Bob stared into the steady blue eyes and said softly. "You're right. Make love to me, Randy. Make me believe you always will."

"No problem there, buddy," Randy smiled. He gently pulled off Bob's T-shirt, unbuttoned his shorts and let them drop to his feet with his undershorts. He ran his hands over his naked lover's perfect physique and said, "... no problem at all. Hell, I'm gonna make love to you forever, as often as you want. You're the most beautiful man I've ever known, inside and out. No way will I ever leave you, kiddo. Oh sure, I know I've lost my cool in the past, just like Mark did today, and I've treated you like shit and nearly lost you. But never again, Bob."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Bob grinned.

"Asshole." Randy gave him a gentle shove. "On the bed, wiseguy." Bob fell on his back, and gazed up at the construction worker towering over him. Randy had been working when he received Bob's emergency call and he still hadn't changed out of his work clothes – his usual grubby jeans and boots and the sweaty, greasy tank top stretched over his sculpted chest. It was the sight that always thrilled Bob the most, especially as he knew what always came next.

Just the sight of the naked muscle-god waiting for him was enough to make Randy's dick rock hard as he pulled it out of his jeans without taking his eyes off Bob's face. He stepped onto the bed and stood astride his lover, slowly stroking his massive cock as he gazed down at the chiseled features, the dark brown eyes and tousled black hair falling over Bob's forehead.

"Fucking awesome, man. You know how many times I fantasize about you and jerk off imagining you in the forest by the lake, spread-eagled naked between two trees, that spectacular muscle-stud getting whipped and begging me for mercy. Shit, just thinking about it makes pre-cum ooze from my cock. You wanna taste it?"

He leaned forward, grabbed the headboard and lowered his hips toward Bob's face, letting his pre-cum drip onto Bob's lips and the tip of his tongue. "Open up Superman," Randy growled. The square jaw opened wide and Randy eased his thick shaft into it, pushing slowly, carefully into his mouth and deep down in his throat. Bob's eyes brimmed with tears, a reflex from the probing cock but also an expression of infinite love.

Randy was spellbound by the strong Superman face yielding to the pressure of his cock, the mouth wide open and stuffed with the massive hunk of meat. As tears ran down Bob's cheeks the sight was so incredibly beautiful that Randy could take no more. "You're killing me, man, you're so fucking ... aaah ... aaah ... I'm cumming... aaagh!" Bob gulped hard as the warm, bittier-sweet liquid poured down his throat. He gazed up at the wild gypsy face thrown back in ecstasy, the veined muscles flexing hard under the tight tank.

"Don't cum, man," Randy warned, "not `til I tell you. When his cock had drained he dropped to his knees and sat astride Bob's waist. He leaned forward and twisted Bob's nipples lightly in his fingers as he gazed down at the rugged, macho face, cheeks stained with tears, cum oozing from the sides of his mouth. "So fucking gorgeous," he moaned. "I am so fucking in love with you, man. I gotta fuck you in the ass, I gotta ... but first you're gonna bust your load. Look at me buddy ... look into my eyes, feel my body."

Bob reached up and ran his hands over the thin tank, digging his fingers into the slabs of his pecs underneath, so hard that the cotton ripped. Bob's nipples were on fire, his cock pulsed as the darkly stubbled gypsy face stared down at him and said, "See my cock, man? Still hard as steel – always is with you no matter how many times I cum. You want it in your ass?"

Bob was trembling with desire. "You know I do. Please, sir, please fuck my ass. I need to feel your cock in my ass ... it belongs to you, sir."

Randy taunted him, twisting his nipples harder. "Man, it's gonna feel so good. That huge pole pounding inside you as your ass gets reamed by the construction boss. Take a deep breath ... you smell it? He reeks of sweat and grease and his stinking cock is gonna plough that tight ass of yours. Your tits hurt, man? Good cause that's nothing to how your ass is gonna feel when my jizz explodes inside you. But you don't get it til you cum for me. So that's what you're gonna do. Right now.

Suddenly Randy leapt to his feet and towered over his naked lover. Bob stared in disbelief as the swarthy gypsy ripped off the torn remains of his shirt, yanked open his jeans and let then drop round his boots. His eyes blazing he stared down at the bed like an animal about to pounce on his prey.

Driven wild with desire Bob flung his arms above his head, grabbed bedposts and stretched out his legs so his body was rigid, spread-eagled, his cock standing up stiff as a pole. He looked up at the muscled gypsy and screamed, "I love you, sir ... aaagh!" As Randy had ordered, Bob's cock erupted in a plume of white jism that shot in the air and splashed down on his face.

"And now," Randy howled, "I'm gonna ... fuck ... your ... ass!" He spat on his cock and lubricated the whole shaft, then dropped to his knees on the bed, grabbed Bob's legs and pushed them up high. "Your ass is mine, stud," he growled as he pushed the huge knob of his cock between the cheeks and eased his rod into the soft, warm chamber of Bob's ass, further and further until it came to rest pressing against the softest membrane deep inside.

"Aaah ... aaah ... aaah," Bob gasped. He was still shooting the last of his load, normally the last act of sex – but now Randy was making it the beginning, like an orgasm that never ends. Randy fell forward and clamped Bob's wrists to the bed, holding him captive as his cock moved steadily in and out of his ass. His steel blue eyes pierced Bob's, hypnotized him, drew him into their private world, where Bob submitted to Randy's sexual magnetism. He was in his power.

"Now," Randy breathed, "you know you're safe. How could I ever leave you, buddy – ever stop fucking the ass of the most beautiful man in the world? No matter what happens to other guys, you and I are rock solid, man. Now, the boss is gonna fuck your ass as only he can. And we've both cum already so we can make it last and last.

Randy took his lover into a world of pure sex, where nothing else existed except two alpha males making love. Randy was right – only he could drive a man wild as he did now. First the fuck was gentle, loving, then intensified until the cock became a piston, jackhammering the ass of the muscle-god pinned to the bed. Just as the pain became unbearable and Bob screamed, it stopped and suddenly the cock was gently massaging the hot, tender membrane of his ass.

This jarring rhythm put Bob on edge and he hovered between excitement and fear, never so alive as he was now. The steel eyes bore savagely into his, but behind the savagery Bob glimpsed a deep love and devotion. So, despite the pile-driving intervals of the ferocious fuck he knew he was safe. Randy loved him.

And so, as Randy had promised, he made it last and last until finally they both neared exhaustion and Randy smiled at Bob. "Wanna feel your lover's jizz in your ass, stud?"

"What d'ya think, buddy?" Bob smiled back.

"Hard or easy?" Randy grinned.

Bob's eyes gleamed. "Let's go for broke, man." That's all Randy needed to hear. He pulled away from Bob's wrists and clamped his fingers round his tits. Free now, Bob reciprocated by reaching up and grinding Randy's nipples in his fingers. Both men showed no mercy as the fuck intensified, the rod slammed into Bob's ass and they tortured each other's tits screaming obscenities at each other. "Fuck you, you bastard son-of-a-bitch ... Asshole mother-fucking prick ... Aaah... Aaaagh!

The last screams were simultaneous and echoed round the room as both men blasted their loads, Randy's deep inside Bob's ass and Bob's shooting up and slamming against Randy's chest. Their hearts were pounding, sweat pouring off them ... they were exhausted. Randy collapsed onto his lover until their breathing subsided. Then he gently pushed Bob onto his side and twisted behind him, all the time keeping his cock buried in his ass.

"You're safe, buddy," he murmured in Bob's ear. "You've got me.' He wrapped his protective arms round his man ... and that's how they slept all night.

The sun was already streaming through the window blinds of Mark's room when he stirred. He had slept deeply the whole night through and consciousness now returned slowly and uncertainly. Memory was even slower to return and was fragmentary. But suddenly a vivid image flashed on his mind of his boy Jamie screaming in pain as he was raped. As if a camera pulled back slowly for a wider shot he gradually saw the black uniform of a man pinning him to the bed – a cop was raping his boy. He was wild as an animal ... it was ... it was him!

"Aaaagh!' Mark yelled and sat bolt upright in bed. He opened his eyes to see ... the smiling faces of the twins. They were standing at the foot of the bed holding trays, one with a steaming hot breakfast, the other with coffee and tea. "Good morning, sir," they said brightly, ignoring Mark's anguished shout. We have breakfast for you."

"What? ... No – no food ... thanks guys but take it away ... I can't eat it."

"Oh yes you can," said a firm voice and Bob's face came into focus behind the twins. "OK, boys, set it up on the table here and I'll stay and eat with him."

The twins did as requested and left the room with a cheery "Bon appétit, sir," as usual riding above the tension in the room. Mark turned his face away from Bob and mumbled, "I want to be left alone, man. I can't be your buddy anymore. I fucked up too bad."

Bob was adamant. After last night with Randy, even though he had been on the receiving end of a ferocious fuck, Bob felt rejuvenated, empowered by the memory of Randy's strong arms around him. "You don't get rid of me that easily, buddy," he grinned. "I love you man, through thick and thin. Now get your ass off that bed and come and eat."

Mark looked at him forlornly and obeyed reluctantly. He was wearing only boxers and, while he looked as gorgeous as ever, his body did not have its usual commanding posture as he slumped in the chair opposite Bob and began to pick at his food."

"Right," Bob said firmly. "Steve is here already and he's talking to Jamie. After that he'll come in here and talk to you."

"I don't want him," Mark said sullenly. "He can't do anything."

"Bullshit," said Bob. "If anyone can help it's Steve. His methods may be unusual but he's damn good – and he's an old friend of yours. He used to treat you regularly for your anger issues and he's done the same for Randy. So when he comes in you're gonna cooperate, OK?"

Mark looked across at the handsome, assertive alpha male and, despite his depression, he managed a weak smile. "You got fucked last night, didn't you? I know the signs. Randy worked you over good. How was it?"

Bob blushed. "Pretty spectacular, actually." The ice was broken and Mark began to eat more willingly, draining his coffee cup. They ate mostly in silence as neither one could think of a way to address the situation that hung heavily in the air. It was enough simply to be together.

Soon there was a tap at the door and Steve came in, looking handsome as ever in dress slacks, a starched white shirt and a tie pulled loose at his open collar, chest hair poking over it. Bob got up and said, "I'll leave you to it. There's plenty of coffee and tea left, Steve, and the food's still hot. Help yourself."

"Well if the twins made it," Steve grinned, "how can I refuse?" Bob left the room and quietly closed the door behind him.

He went outside and sat with Randy in the garden talking it all over. "One good thing to come out of this," Bob said, "is Pablo taking the initiative to go with Nate and Adam to the hospital. Shows a real caring nature."

"Damn right," Randy grinned. "When Pablo and me went for that long walk along the beach at Malibu the other day we had a long talk about his aggressive behavior toward the boys in the gym and what it takes to become a real leader – more than just swinging your fists. Guess it sank in and this is the result."

Just then the gate opened and in walked Adam, followed by Pablo with his arm round Nate. Nate had a taped dressing over a cut on his forehead but otherwise seemed none the worse for wear – his usual jaunty Aussie self. Adam came up to Randy and shook his hand warmly. "I gotta thank you, Randy, for letting your boy come with us. Couldn't have done it without him. I was out of it a lot of the time but Pablo sat up all night talking to Nate to soothe him in his sleep. He was awesome – you should be real proud of him."

"I sure am," Randy beamed. "He's my boy after all. Come here, kiddo." Pablo blushed as he was pulled into a tight hug. "Sir," he said, "I gotta get over to the construction site – Ben will be all on his own working on that truck."

"The hell you will," Randy said sternly. "You're gonna go to your room for a few hours sleep. Can't have you working on the site with no sleep. It's a safety issue. Darius is helping Ben for now, and you can go later." The twins came out just then and overheard.

"We'll bring you some breakfast, Pablo, before you sleep," Kyle said. "And you too, sir," Kevin said to Adam, "assuming you are taking Nate back home next door."

"Thanks, guys," Adam said, "that'd be great." He turned to Bob and Randy "I think I'll keep my distance for a few days, guys, let the dust settle." His jaw clenched. "There'll be time later for me to have my say – and I will, you can bet on that." Bob nodded in agreement and as Adam and Nate went through the connecting gate Bob rolled his eyes at Randy with a sigh. That would be one more hard bridge to cross.

A bit later Steve came out of Mark's apartment and sat with Bob and Randy. "OK, guys," he sighed, "here's the score. Jamie's keeping to his room with Mario taking care of him. He's real shook up – not surprisingly after being attacked by the man he worships. Feels to him like the bottom's dropped out of his world.

"Mark, needless to say, is overwhelmed with shame – says he can never look Jamie in the eye again. I've seen so much of this in my work for the police department and the first thing I've done is signed Mark off for a month's sick leave. There's no way he can go back on the road until he's fully recovered.

"Here at home he'll need to be treated carefully – so keep Adam away from him right now. Believe me, nobody could be as hard on Mark as he is on himself. His confidence in himself as a man and a cop has been shattered. But I can't make any progress until we've repaired the relationship between him and Jamie, it's so central to their lives. However, I have a plan."

"Of course you do, bro," Randy grinned. "What you gonna do, fuck some sense into them?"

Bob glared at him, but Steve grinned. "Not quite that drastic, brother, but what I have in mind is a bit risky. Of course we could go the traditional route but that takes a long time. If my plan works it could resolve the problems instantly. All depends how deep Jamie's love is for Mark."

"Way, way deep, Steve," Bob said, "I'm sure of that. If that's the only issue you're home free."

"I hope so," Steve sighed. "Anyway I've persuaded Mark to drive Jamie to my office in Beverly Hills this afternoon. Neutral territory is better. It'll be an awkward drive but if either one asks you to take them separately don't go for it. The healing has to start somewhere."

As he got up to leave he said, "At least Mark would then have Jamie's support when he confronts Adam. Adam's boy was hurt bad so I suspect that encounter is gonna involve action rather than words."

Steve was right about at least one thing, though `awkward' was an understatement. As Jamie sat beside Mark you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Neither was able to make eye contact and Jamie sat as far away as possible, pressing himself against the passenger door.

Trouble was, neither was able to break through the traumatic shock of what had happened. Jamie could not get beyond the sight of the wild man he did not recognize and could still feel the pain of the brutal assault on his ass. Mark could scarcely believe what he had done. He was sure he had lost his boy and he deserved to. What if it happened again? What if he lost his mind and hurt Jamie even more next time? He couldn't trust himself to have a boy and that was that.

When they arrived the silence between them deepened in the close proximity of the elevator where they both looked at the ceiling. When they went into Steve's waiting room the receptionist, Ruth, said cheerfully, "Hello, Mark, long time since you've been here – and Jamie, good to see you again too. The doctor is expecting you so you can go right in."

Mark opened the door to the inner office and went in followed by Jamie. Steve looked up from his desk and said matter-of-factly, "Hi, guys, take a seat on the couch." He was in his formal Beverly Hills therapist mode, all the better to cope with what he had to do.

He noted that Mark and Jamie sat at opposite ends of the couch, as far from each other as possible, even leaning away from each other. Only to be expected, Steve thought. They were both nearly identically dressed in cargo shorts, polo shirts and loafers without socks, a similarity that Steve noticed. It's a start, at least, he thought wryly.

He finished writing notes on a previous patient, then looked up and smiled. "So, Mark, how are you feeling now?"

""Like I don't wanna be here," the cop said sullenly.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Steve smiled. "How about you, Jamie?"

"I ... I don't know, sir. I just ..." His voice caught and his eyes grew moist.

"OK, OK, no hurry, Jamie ... we can take this easy. Can we start by you looking over at Mark? Right now you seem like you're in a trance." Jamie tried to obey but failed; he blushed instead and stared at his feet.

"You see, Mark?" Steve said. "Your boy can't even bring himself to look at you."

"I don't blame him after what I did," Mark grunted. "Besides, he can't be my boy anymore. You never know with me – I could go crazy again and hurt him even worse."

"You're right there," Steve said, an edge coming to his voice. "I wouldn't trust you with a kid like Jamie – with any boy for that matter."

The sudden change of tone and the harshness of his words made Mark and Jamie flinch. Mark said, "You're damn right, doc. I can't be trusted with a boy – I should be on my own – and that's what I want. I don't even know what I'm doing here."

"'Me' ... me' ... I' ... `I'" Steve taunted. "So this is all about you."

"Well isn't it? Isn't this all about me flipping out and raping my boy? Why don't you just come right out with it, doc? Why don't you warn this kid here about the brutal cop who rapes boys? Tell him to stay away – find someone else?"

"Actually," Steve said coldly, "I was just about to do that. You don't seem to have any feeling left for him, and he deserves a whole lot better than you. As a matter of fact, Jamie, Randy and I heard from our brother Charlie recently. Seems he's a cowboy now who rides the rodeo circuit and he'll be in L.A. soon. Now there's someone a boy could look up to, a real man who'd know how to take care of a boy, especially a beauty like you. He would never knock you around or rape your ass. I'll introduce you to him when he hits town and maybe you two can hook up. At least that would get him off your back, eh Mark?"

"Damn right," Mark shouted, not knowing what he was saying in his blind anger.

Steve looked more kindly at Jamie. "Jamie, you obviously have no feelings left for Mark – you can't even look at him, and I can't say I blame you. But don't worry, we'll find someone who deserves you, `cause the cop here sure doesn't. You can do a lot better than a loser like him."

"NO!" Jamie sprang to his feet, his eyes blazing. "No, you're wrong. You don't know shit about Mark and me. We love each other and we still do. I don't want no stupid cowboy, I want Mark. He's not a loser, he's a wonderful man, the most beautiful man in the world, and he's a great cop. I don't care what he's done, I still love him and always will. If you knew anything about him, if you weren't such a lousy shrink, you'd know how great he is. So you can go to hell."

Jamie turned to look at Mark his fists clenched. "Don't listen to him, sir, he's talking bullshit. You're a great man, sir, and I love being your boy. I couldn't live without that. Please look at me, sir." Mark at last raised his head and looked up at the beautiful boy, fists clenched, body tense with rage and passion. Jamie had leapt to his defense. Steve had shredded Mark but his boy had told the Beverly Hills doctor he could go to hell.

"Sir," Jamie said plaintively, "please, I still want to be your boy. Can I be, sir? Please don't send me away from you, sir. I know you'll never hurt me. I love you, I'll do anything. Look..." He pulled off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and dropped his shorts. He stood naked in the middle of the office, his cock erect, a youthful blond beauty, glorious in his passion.

"Look at me, sir. If my body's not good enough for you sir I'll work out harder, go to the gym twice a day. Please, sir, show me you still love me, that I'm still your boy. Make love to me, sir. Fuck me, please..."

Mark rose to his feet. "Of course I will, kid." Just as Jamie had done, he pulled off his shirt, kicked off his loafers and dropped his shorts. He walked slowly towards his boy, their eyes locked on each other ... eye contact at last. The naked cop took his boy in his arms and together they sank to their knees. Mark lowered Jamie onto his back on the soft pile carpet and knelt between his legs. Gazing down at him he said, "Of course you're still my boy Jamie. You always will be. And whenever you ask me to make love to you the answer will be yes."

He pushed Jamie's legs in the air and hooked them over his shoulders. He wet his fingers and pushed them gently through the soft, downy fuzz at his ass, massaging the sphincter and lubricating his ass. Then he fell forward and pressed Jamie's arms into the carpet, gazing down at him, their faces close. Mark said softly, "Here, let me show you how much I love you, boy." He pressed the tip of his cock against his hole, then eased it inside and slowly, tenderly, sliding his long cock inch by inch into the sweet softness of his ass.

"This is how it will always be, Jamie. You and me, making love. We're lovers, you and I, and always will be."

"Thank you, sir," Jamie sighed, surrendering his ass to the beautiful muscle-god he worshipped. And so began the longest, gentlest fuck they had ever had, with Mark's cock endlessly caressing the warm velvet of his boy's ass.

Steve sat at his desk with a satisfied smiled, calmly writing notes as his two patients made love on the floor of his office, a naked cop and his boy reconciled in the language of love where there were no words for anger or bitterness. They meant nothing.

Steve finished his notes, closed the folder, rested his chin on his hands and watched the master make love to his boy. If ever there were a model of perfect love this was it and Steve envied Mark and Jamie, as any man would who could see them now, the spectacular body of the cop rising and falling over his beautiful boy. At last Mark leaned forward, kissed Jamie's lips and said, "You want to feel your master's juice inside you, boy?"

"Yes please, sir."

"Here we go then." He buried his cock one last time deep inside Jamie's warm ass and they smiled at each other. They lay perfectly still as Jamie felt Mark's juice pouring deep inside him while cum flowed from his own cock all over the golden tan of his young body. When at last the flow of semen stopped Mark fell forward and held his boy tight, both oblivious of the fact that they were lying naked on the floor of a doctor's office in Beverly Hills.

When that realization finally dawned on them they eased themselves onto their backs, propped themselves on their elbows and looked up at Steve. The doctor sat behind his desk, his hands linked behind his head, and stared down at the cop and his boy, both naked on the floor of his office in the afterglow of great sex.

It was all so incongruous that Steve sputtered, chuckled, then burst out laughing. Mark and Jamie were startled but then they too joined in and the office rang with the laughter of all three men. Mark helped Jamie to his feet and they hurriedly pulled on their shorts and shirts. They grinned at Steve, knowing now that he had engineered the whole scene and had meant none of his abusive language to Mark. "Sir," Jamie stammered, "I'm sorry I ... I mean ... that `go to hell' stuff ... I really didn't mean..."

"Hey, hey, Jamie, don't beat yourself up," Steve smiled. "You were magnificent rising to Mark's defense and telling me I was full of shit. You were dead right, I was. You know, I said to Bob that my plan would work only if you loved Mark deeply. He assured me that you did and today I saw the proof with my own eyes. I just gave you a shove in the right direction and you did all the rest yourself ... you ran with the ball I threw you. Any man would be proud to have a boy like you."

"I think you understand everything, sir," Jamie said solemnly.

"Not everything," Steve grinned, "but I must say that a lot of my weird methods do work out pretty good, don't they?"

"This one sure did" Mark smiled, giving Steve a bear hug. "Thanks, man. Your `weird methods' saved us weeks of therapy."

"Yeah," Steve sighed, "but I don't think there's much I can do to help you over the next hurdle – your inevitable confrontation with Adam. That macho Aussie will have to take revenge for what you did to his boy Nate, I think we all know that." He chuckled. "As well as being a gorgeous muscle-stud I hear he's quite the leather master and it's not all for show either. He's serious."

"Thanks for the warning, Steve, but I know what I have to do, and now that I've got my boy back I'm ready. I've got to make amends for what I did to Adam and if it comes down to some kind of trial of strength, so be it."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 215

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 urge 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 and some other great artwork. Click on the `Our Story' tab to read the current chapter, or click on the green button to browse all the chapter synopses. Enjoy!