A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 268 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER: Randy's disgrace leaves a trail of wrecked egos behind it in the guys closest to him– Pablo, Ben and Bob. The tribe knew that nothing boosts a man's low self-esteem like a good honest-to-god fuck! Darius says to Pablo, "This black ass is yours, boy – take it." Jason to Ben: "I wanna see that fireman get ploughed by a rough young gypsy." And Bob, the reborn alpha male, triumphs over the naked cop Mark.

Chapter 268 – "MENDING BRUISED EGOS"

Everyone agreed that the whole thing was, in Lloyd's words, "a sorry mess" ... and he had started it. With the best of intentions Lloyd had introduced his gym buddy, the stunning swimwear model and actor, Grady, to his lover Steve, the therapist, hoping to fulfil Steve's forbidden fantasy of having sex with a patient.

Bob had warned him he was playing with fire – and the fire soon erupted. Steve had sex with him alright – all night and into the next day. A disillusioned Lloyd spent the night down at the tribe's compound where Steve's brother Randy soon got wind of what was happening. He impulsively (and irrationally) blamed the "boy toy", as he sneeringly referred to the handsome jock, for "messing with Steve's mind" and coming between Steve and Lloyd.

His anger flared – "any son of a bitch who messes with one of my brothers answers to me." He caught Grady alone by Steve's pool and brutalized him – tied him to the deck, dry-fucked him and left him with a huge butt plug jammed in his ass. When Steve found out he shed his image as the philosophical doctor and, as he would acknowledge, got down in the gutter with his gypsy brother in a brutal sibling fight.

Young Eddie – he of the always gushing mouth – later described to his master Hassan what had happened. "It was totally awesome, sir, this epic fight between Randy and Steve – not what you'd call brotherly love, sir, no way – and Steve totally trashed Randy, made him submit and everything, and then all the men stood round him and pumped jizz all over him.

"Randy was pretty banged up but you know him, sir, tough as nails. Anyway Brandon was the only one who dared to help Randy and led him over to Zack's house where him and Darius are helping him, and Randy asked Pablo and Ben to come see him. And the twins took Steve to their place and he asked for Lloyd. If you ask me, sir, I think ..."

Say what you like about Eddie's machine-gun delivery but he more or less covered everything in a remarkably short space of time. But Hassan was used to turning off the Eddie spigot which he did now. They were at Steve's house where Hassan was taking care of Grady.

Hassan preferred not to tell Grady about the fight right now. Instead, he lightened the atmosphere and helped Grady restore his masculinity by playfully "renting out" his boy Eddie to the athletic young muscle-jock, much to Eddie's exhilaration. Grady ended up butt fucking Eddie while getting his handsome face fucked by the hot, muscular Marine.

Meanwhile, down at Zack's house Randy, still recovering in bed, had another visitor – Pete. The Ranger checked on how he was doing, then said, "Look I know you're tired and this is not the best time for bothering you. But this is not about what just went down out there – I don't know all the issues and I try to stay clear of that stuff. No, this is something I wanna ask before I go away tomorrow. It's about Brandon.

That name made Randy sit up straight and say "Great kid ... great kid."

"Yeah, I know how affectionate you feel about him Randy, that's why I'm here. You know I'm going up to Yosemite for a week with the Forest Rangers there – park management and such – so I've got a favor to ask. Could you keep an eye on my boy while I'm gone? Like you said, Brandon's a great kid, but he's always out to prove how independent he can be and that sometimes worries me.

"For instance, he's crazy about that motor-trike of his and he's talking about taking it out for a long run on his own. Like the trip he took with Zack ... only without Zack or anyone else. He's dying to prove he can do stuff like that on his own. Look, I know what just happened here, but there's no one in the world I'd rather trust my boy's safety to than you, Randy."

"Hey buddy, say no more. I'm honored you put your trust in me ... especially right now," he said with a rueful shrug. "You know how special I think that kid is ... shit, if you hadn't taken him I'd have grabbed him for myself. So rest easy, Ranger, I'll keep a close eye on him. Trust me, he'll come to no harm."

As Pete was leaving the house he met Brandon wheeling himself in. "I brought food from the twins for Randy, sir. He needs to eat a good meal, build up his strength, then have a long nap. He's pretty banged up as you could see, but I'll keep a close eye on him. I'll make sure he comes to no harm. If that's OK with you sir."

Pete smiled and ruffled his hair. "It's perfect, kiddo. Absolutely perfect."

Prior to Pete's visit Randy had sent for his boy Pablo and his kid brother Ben. Brandon and Darius had helped him undress, take a short shower to wash off the worst of the dirt, and then helped him into Zack's guestroom bed. He was propped up against pillows, eyes closed, waiting for Brandon to bring him food and beer from the twins, when Pablo and Ben came in nervously and stood silently by the bed.

Randy opened his eyes and managed a weary grin for his adopted son and kid brother. "Not much of a dad or a big brother am I, eh?" Both boys started to protest but Randy waved them silent. "Nah, I know how I look, and I'm sorry you had to see that out there, though it's right that you did. Part of growing up. I feel especially bad for you, Ben, having to watch both your brothers fight each other like wild animals. How is Steve, by the way?"

"The twins took him up to their rooms, sir, and he seems to be doing OK. He's not as beat up as..." He trailed off, knowing he had said too much.

But Randy grinned, "Yeah, like ... he's fine but you should see the other guy, eh?" Ben blushed and Randy said, "Look, guys, I don't wanna go into it all now except to say that I fucked up and Steve was right to do what he did to me. I'd have done the same in his place. Imagine if Steve had attacked either of you or Bob, you know how I would have retaliated. Except Steve would never do stuff like that to you ... he's the brainy one, I'm the asshole."

Again they moved to protest but Randy said, "I asked you to come here because we're family and I want you to know one thing. We're a proud family and, whatever happens, we always hold our heads high. You know my rule, a man fucks up, he gets punished and that's the end of it. Except maybe in this case," he sighed.

"But you two have no reason to feel guilt or shame. So when you go back out there, you go proudly, heads up like the confident young guys I'm raising. Don't be arrogant with the other boys ... huh, there's enough arrogance in me for all of us ... and I think you'll find they'll support you. What do you boys call it when there's trouble ... circling the wagons?

"Look at young Brandon ... he's an example for all of us. Doesn't give a shit about the issues. He sees one of the tribe wounded and right away pitches in to help. I'm relying on you to uphold the family honor that I did my damndest to grind in the dirt. Can you do that for me?"

They stood at attention and replied strongly. "Yes, sir." "Absolutely, sir." Then Pablo frowned and asked hesitantly, "But, sir, what about ... I mean ... what about Bob, sir? He's part of the family too, isn't he?"

"You bet your life he is," Randy said forcefully, but then his bravado failed. "I dunno, guys, I don't know how he's taking all this. Kinda scares me. He hates it when I fuck up and this one was an all-time doozy – a 100 percent major fuckup. But you leave that to us. You go out there and show them all what being part of a tight family means.

Randy bumped fists with them, smiled encouragingly then close his eyes, exhausted. The boys walked across the street, stood outside the gate and hugged. "Let's go, tiger," Pablo grinned. "Head up, chest out."

When they went into the garden they were surprised that the group had not broken up. Men and boys alike were still hanging around being plied with food and alcohol by the twins. There seemed to be an understanding that, as the tribe had been rocked by the fight between two of its leaders, they should stick around for mutual support. The bonds of loyalty and friendship ran deep in the group, the glue that held it together, and they had all been profoundly unnerved by the animosity between the two powerful brothers.

That bond of support was felt especially among the boys. When one of them was in trouble they all banded together and, as Randy had said, circled the wagons. They all guessed what Pablo and Ben must be going through. After all, Pablo modeled himself on his hero Randy, and Ben was a younger, black-haired gypsy version of his big brother.

So the boys all eagerly embraced them when they came into the garden. Just as Brandon had done, they set aside the complex issues of Randy's guilt and Steve's savage retribution and focused instead on helping their fellow boys who were hurting through no fault of their own.

There were many hugs and expressions of sympathy until Darius, who had been hanging back on the edge of the crowd, stepped forward and grabbed his boyfriend's wrist. "Come on, dude," he said gently but firmly, "you're coming with me." He led Pablo upstairs to their apartment.

Right after that Jason, the handsome fireman, intervened in the boys' group hug. He put his arm round his boy's neck and said, "Hey, Ben. You wanna take me up to your room?"

"Yes please, sir." Ben needed to get away and feel his master's strong arms round him, so they went into the house.

The tribe had a time-honored remedy for restoring confidence in any member who had been wounded, physically or emotionally, and had his manly pride damaged. It may have seemed crude, but they found that nothing repairs a man's damaged ego like a good honest-to-god fuck!

It was exactly what Hassan had just done for the humiliated Grady up at Steve's house, and at the same time given his boy a wild ride when he "rented" Eddie's ass out to Grady, who rode him like a stallion. Now, both Darius and Jason had something similar in mind for Pablo and Ben – minus the rent-a-boy thing.

In Darius's case Pablo didn't make it easy. As soon as they got up to their room Pablo turned on him. "OK so let's hear it. I know what you and everyone else is thinking. You're gonna trash talk my dad. OK, go ahead, I can take it. We're a tough family and Randy told me and Ben we got hold our heads up high." Fists too it seemed as Pablo raised his in a reflexively defensive stance.

"Hey, knock it off, dude." Darius grabbed his raised wrists and held them in a vise. He was stronger than Pablo, like a junior Zack, and Pablo could only stare at Darius defiantly.

Darius glared back. "What the fuck is it with you guys, always assuming that it's you against the world? I know where Randy gets it from `cos he's a street fighter from way back. But you just try to be as tough as your dad and raise your fists to anyone who blinks at you the wrong way, like you're doing with me."

Darius softened his tone and released Pablo's hands. "Hey, this is me, dude, your best buddy Darius. I'm on your side. Shit you've changed a whole lot from that day I first saw that hot young mechanic bending over the engine of a truck and fell in love with your ass." He grinned. "... then fell in love with you."

"Yeah, well maybe I have changed," Pablo said recklessly, a whiff of hysteria in his voice. "Cos Randy and me we don't need anyone – we take care of each other." He shoved Darius backward. "And I sure as hell don't need any of that `in love with your ass' bullshit."

Pablo went to shove him again but Darius pulled him toward him, wrapped him in his muscular arms and clamped their mouths together in a fierce kiss. Pablo's first impulse was to push away but then his body relaxed, he allowed himself to be held and returned his lover's kiss, hesitantly at first, then ravenously.

When their mouths finally separated they rested their chins on each other's shoulder, cheek to cheek. Pablo's cheek was damp and Darius felt his body shudder against him. Pablo was sobbing. Darius held him at arm's length and his own eyes watered seeing his lover's distress. Pablo sat on the edge of the bed, slumped in misery, weeping uncontrollably. Darius sat beside him and stroked his hand.

"That's it, kiddo, let it out. Tell your uncle Darius all about it."

"It was so hard," Pablo said through his tears, "watching Randy get beat like that in front of everyone. He's always been my hero and there he was crawling in the dirt and..." He choked up, clumsily wiping his eyes with his screwed up fists like a weeping child.

Darius threw him a lifebelt. "Yeah, but you know what, dude? Randy's the toughest fighter in the group and I think he could have won that fight, but he deliberately let Steve win so Steve could have his revenge."

Pablo looked at Darius with a glimmer of hope. "You think so? He threw the fight? Yeah, that's probably it. So that's a good thing, right?" He managed a watery smile. "I wanted to help him, you know, right from the start, but I knew he wouldn't have wanted that – like, his boy being right up close after he'd been beaten so bad. Thank god for Brandon. I wish I was just like him."

Darius chuckled, "I bet that's the first time anyone's said that about a kid in a wheelchair. But I know what you mean, dude. When someone he loves is in trouble that kid doesn't give a shit about anything else, he just charges in to help. That's his own special kind of gutsy. And I can tell you he's there with Randy at Zack's place right now making sure he's doing OK."

Pablo sighed, dried his eyes and said, "I'm sorry I said all that crappy stuff to you just now, dude. You know I didn't mean it. I just needed to lash out at someone. But there are two things you could do for me? Number one, don't tell the guys that I bawled my eyes out like a kid. I'm supposed to be holding my head up, remember?"

"No sweat, dude. What happens in this room stays in this room. What's number two?"

Pablo gazed into the gentle brown eyes. "Make love to me, Darius. Fuck my ass."

Darius leapt to his feet and grinned mischievously. "No way, dude. But you're on the right track – kind of." Pablo sat still on the bed gazing up at his muscular black lover wearing an old brown T-shirt, baggy cargo shorts and sneakers. Darius flashed his gleaming white-toothed smile, reached behind his own neck and slowly pulled the frayed T-shirt over his head, riding up over his washboard abs, his muscled chest and shoulders.

"Wow," Pablo breathed. Darius had lately been working out hard with Zack and he had got a bit bigger, but his ebony, fat-free body was still just as ripped, just as beautiful. Darius playfully flexed his muscles in a couple of poses, kicked off his sneakers, slowly unbuttoned his shorts and let them drop round his ankles.

Pablo gasped, as he always did when he saw his lover stripped down to his gray boxer briefs, the shape of his massive 10-inch cock clearly outlined underneath the thin fabric, veins, head and all. He held his breath as Darius slid his hands inside his briefs and pushed down, pausing seductively before the huge schlong finally sprang out, stiff as a pole. "Just so you know, dude, my dick is always this hard when I'm around you. That's why I wear baggy shorts. And I suppose right now you wanna feel my rod slide in that perfect bubble butt of yours, eh?"

"Yeah, dude. I wanna get fucked."

"Ain't gonna happen, man." Darius turned round, leaned forward and grinned back over his shoulder. He slapped his own flawless black ass and said, "This is what's gonna get ploughed. I wanna feel my man's big dick in my ass. I wanna get fucked by my hot stud lover." He jumped onto the bed and knelt on all fours, doggy style, facing the full length mirror on the wall.

Adjusting to the sudden change of events, Pablo got to his feet, kicked off his sneakers and stood on the bed behind Darius, both staring at each other in the mirror. Pablo did the same provocative strip as Darius, pulling off his loose tank top and dropping his shorts and briefs, his cock already rock hard at the sight of the young black buck waiting to get fucked.

"Man, that is so fucking hot," Darius said, gazing up at the beautiful boy with his dark hair, high-cheeked mestizo features and a body that wouldn't quit, evidence of punishing workouts with his construction worker dad. Darius raised one hand off the bed, spat in his palm, reached behind him and slid his wet fingers in his ass.

On hands and knees he grinned up at Pablo in the mirror. "That's all the lube I need, dude. So go for it. Show me how it feels to get butt-fucked by the boss's boy."

Pablo dropped to his knees, leaned forward and buried his face between the black cheeks, licking the moist, musky hole. Then he straightened up and slapped Darius's ass a few times.

"Yeah, that's it, man," Darius moaned. "Smack that ass. I'm plenty tough. Zack and me can take whatever the other guy dishes out. Let's see what you're made of, stud."

"You are really asking for it, you know that, asshole?" Darius grinned to himself, hearing the tough-guy tone coming back into Pablo's voice. "OK, you want it rough? Here it comes." Darius howled as he felt his lover's long pole slam in his ass, then rake around in the fiery depths with short, sharp jabs. Pablo pulled back then drove in again hard, and in seconds his cock became a piston, pounding deeper and deeper.

Darius was feeling lust rather than pain and he taunted Pablo. "That all you got, boy? Shit, I get a better fuck from a dildo. I thought you guys in that family knew how to really fuck a dude."

"Son of a bitch," Pablo growled like Randy. He leaned forward, hooked his hands over Darius's shoulders and pulled his body back onto his dick as it jackhammered his ass. "Any asshole who ever badmouths me or my dad or his little brother gets his ass reamed – like this!"

Darius looked up in awe at the hot young guy in the mirror, his muscles rippling, black hair flying as his ram-rod pounded his ass. Pablo was in full Randy mode, doing everything to his lover that Randy did to him. Impaled on the boy's piston Darius began to feel real pain, though his reaction was exaggerated. "Aaah," he howled, "that's enough, man. I can't take anymore. Please, you're hurting me. Stop, I'm begging you."

"Bullshit," Pablo said. "I know just how tough you are, dude – just how much you can take and it's a lot more than this." Suddenly he pulled out, flipped Darius onto his back, pushed his legs up high and drove his rod down his chute again. Now they were face to face as Pablo leaned forward over him.

"You love me, dude?" Darius asked.

"You know I do, asshole."

"OK, show me ... show me how Randy makes love to you ... do what he does to you."

Pablo pushed Darius's legs back toward the mirror, almost doubling him over. "You think it's all brute force, don't you? But nobody knows Randy like I do, except Bob. I'll show you." He pushed Darius's legs even further back until his feet were touching the mirror behind his head. Bracing his hands on Darius's chest Pablo rose up on his feet, arching his body over him. He pulled his cock back, then fell on his ass, making Darius scream as the long pole slammed into the back of his ass.

"Aaah," Darius howled ... "Sure feels like brute force to me."

But suddenly everything changed. Copying Randy's technique Pablo pulled back slowly, then eased his cock gently back into the already tender ass. Darius sighed with pleasure and Pablo said, "There's a part of Randy not many guys know. He has a real tender side and when the macho gypsy turns from rough fuck to making love it sends me over the moon ... especially when he starts fucking with his eyes. That's when I fall in love with him all over again."

Darius found himself riveted by the soft brown eyes smiling down at him, while the gentle cock massaged the tender membrane of his ass. He felt a warmth spreading though his whole body as he gazed up at the handsome young man leaning forward, bending him double, making his long black cock point straight at his face.

Impulsively Darius raised his head ... and his lips grazed the tip of his cock.

"Do it, man," Pablo smiled. "I know you can." Darius flicked out his tongue and licked the pre-cum from his own cock. Pablo took his hands off Darius's chest, freeing his upper body to stretch higher. He gasped as he watched the head of Darius's cock disappear into his own mouth, his eyes gleaming with mischief. Darius grabbed his legs stretched above him and pulled himself higher off the bed so his mouth was moving up and back along the thick shaft.

Darius was sucking his own 10-inch black dick.

The incredible sight sent tremors through Pablo's body as he gently fucked the ass of the muscle-boy whose cock was buried in his own mouth. Pablo looked in the mirror and watched the handsome black buck get double fucked – in the butt by his lover, in the mouth by himself.

The two boys had never been joined so closely and the result was inevitable and imminent. "Dude," Pablo breathed, "that is so fucking awesome. Your ass feels so hot, your cock looks so beautiful stuffing your mouth. I gotta cum, man. I'm gonna bust my load in you."

Darius took his mouth off his cock and yelled, "Ready when you are, dude ... aaah ... aaah." He opened his mouth wide and cum spurted from his cock straight down his throat. He gulped hard, then closed his mouth round his cock again and sucked it hard, swallowing mouthfuls of his own semen.

Pablo was mesmerized by the sight of the tough young stud drinking his own jizz. His chiseled, ebony features gleamed, his long shaft pulsed in his mouth, his throat muscles clenching repeatedly as he swallowed. Darius stared up wide-eyed at Pablo who yelled, "I love you, dude," and his cock exploded in his lover's ass. Darius was drowning in semen, pumping into his ass and into his mouth.

Finally he pulled his mouth off his cock and grinned up triumphantly at Pablo, cum spilling down his chin. "Way to go, dude. Mario has a word for that – `spettacolare!' In any language you are one hot fucking dude, making me eat my own dick like that. Shit damn I love you, kiddo."

Pablo grinned, "Yeah it takes a really long dick and a really big mouth to do that ... and you, dude, have both." He pulled his cock out and fell forward into Darius's arms. He nuzzled his neck and said, "You're amazing, Darius, pulling me out of my blue funk and making me feel like the boss's boy again. Thanks, dude, you're the best."

"Yeah, nothing like a man-sized fuck to do that."

"Do you think Randy and Ben are OK? I worry about that young kid."

"Don't," said Darius. "Your old man is in the tender loving care of one of his favorite boys, Brandon. And as for Ben, I saw him and the stud fireman Jason following us into the house and up to his room. If anyone can restore a boy's faith in himself it's that calendar hunk."

So, Hassan had helped Grady boost his damaged self-esteem by fucking ass as a macho top-man, and Darius had helped the bummed-out Pablo shuck off his own low spirits with an epic butt fuck. Now it was Ben's turn.

As they went into Ben's small room Jason realized that it was a delicate task as the young gypsy boy tried to put a brave front on his big brother's public defeat. They sat side by side on the bed and Jason asked, "So how are you feeling, kiddo?"

"Fine," Ben said evasively. "Randy told Pablo and me we have to walk tall – show the world we're a tough family."

"And how's that going for you?"

"Great..." Jason smiled but did not respond, knowing that the ensuing silence would produce the real answer. And sure enough Ben's bravado crumpled. "Well, not that great actually, sir. I mean, seeing my big brother get trashed like that ... he's always, like, protected me, been my idol and now ..."

"... and now he's being cared for by your best buddy Brandon. But what we gotta do here, young man, is cheer you up. How about a good fuck?"

"OK, sir," Ben said obediently, but obedience was not what Jason was going for. As the boy started to pull off his T-shirt Jason said, "No wait. I thought this might do the trick. Always has in the past."

Jason stood up and faced his boy. Looking up at his master from the bed Ben's cock tingled, as it always did, at the sight of the stunning blond dressed in jeans and his navy blue fireman's T-shirt with LAFD emblazoned across the chest. A body as perfect as Jason's could not be disguised by clothes, and the shape of his muscular physique was clearly outlined, topped by the chiseled, square-jaw features of his smiling face.

Ben's young gypsy face broke into a grin and Jason said, "That's better, kid. Now let's try this..." Jason began to do what he did best – show off his gorgeous body. He was well-known for his vanity but it was always good natured, always a turn on, and sometimes even served a purpose, as it did now. Jason knew it was a sure-fire hit with Ben and smiled seductively as he tugged the bottom of his T-shirt out from the waist of his jeans and let it hang loose.

He turned round to the floor-to-ceiling mirror behind him, pushed his shirt sleeves up higher and flexed his biceps. "Oh yeah," he said to his reflection. He turned back to face Ben who was sitting on the bed with eager eyes. "So, what does my handsome young gypsy want next?"

"Please, sir. I would like you to take your shirt off, sir – if that's OK."

"It's more than OK, boy, it's an essential part of the act as you well know. OK, here we go."

Following a well-practiced routine Jason reached behind his neck and slowly pulled off his T-shirt. Like a professional male stripper he tossed the sweaty shirt to his audience and Ben caught it, held it to his face, and breathed in deeply, his wide eyes sparkling. At this moment all thoughts of the earlier traumatic events were erased as he focused avidly on what turned him on the most, the handsome young fireman stripping off his clothes prior to fucking him.

This was one of Ben's favorite sights – Jason shirtless in blue-jeans and work boots, his muscles rippling in the striped sunlight streaming through the window blinds. "You like that, Ben?" Jason smiled.

"The best, sir. Totally awesome. Please, sir, face the mirror." Jason turned to the mirror so both he and Ben could see his stunning reflection. He struck a few professional poses, then bent down to unlace his boots. Ben stared at the broad, muscular back, the narrow waist, then became riveted by the mounds of the fireman's ass straining at the stretched denim of his pants.

By now Ben's cock was hard as a rock in his shorts and he longed to pull it out and jack off but he knew he had to wait for his master's permission. Jason straightened up, faced Ben again and kicked off his loosened boots. He grinned and slid his hand under the waistband of his jeans. He grabbed his cock and pulled it up so it strained upward under his pants, hard as a steel rod. He withdrew his hand and held out his arms loosely at his sides, palms forward and said, "What next, kiddo?"

"Sir, your cock looks so big in your pants. Let me see it, sir, before you fuck me, `cos I know you're gonna."

"You sure about that, boy?" He undid the top button of his jeans, paused, then opened two more ... and stopped. As the fly of his jeans flopped open Ben could glimpse Jason's blue boxer briefs underneath, with part of the long bulge visibly straining under the thin cotton. He was drooling with desire and moaned, "Sir, my dick is so hard, I think I gotta cum, sir."

"No!" Jason's blue eyes flashed. "Don't even think of it boy. I'm saving that for something special." He ripped open the rest of the fly buttons, the jeans fell round his feet and he stepped out of them. Ben held his breath, gazing at the long shaft etched under the briefs, waiting to see it spring out when Jason took them off. But again he was frustrated.

Jason abruptly turned round, gazed at the mirror and sighed, "Fucking gorgeous." He walked toward his mirror image, raised his arms and pressed his body against the glass, grinding his crotch against the identical one in the mirror, all the muscles in his body flexing as he moved.

Intoxicated by the sight Ben was mostly riveted by the ass. When the jeans had fallen they had dragged the shorts down a few inches, exposing the top of the crack in the fireman's ass. As his body churned against the mirror his ass muscles tensed and flexed under the tight briefs. Then Jason took a step back, his hands still pressed against the glass, and arched his body so has ass bulged back further ... invitingly.

It was an invitation Ben couldn't resist. He slid off the bed onto his knees and crawled forward until his mouth was pressed against the fabric stretched over the twin globes of the fireman's ass. "Go for it boy," Ben heard the deep voice say. "Work that ass. Make love to it." Ben didn't need prompting as he licked the mounds of the briefs, pushed his tongue in the crack and breathed in deeply.

Then he moved up to the waistband and clamped his teeth over it. In a series of short tugs, he pulled the briefs down over the cheeks, down further until they cleared the ass, then down over the rock hard thighs and calves until Ben's face was down at Jason's feet, paying homage to his master the firefighter. Carefully he lifted Jason's feet one by one out of the shorts, which he instinctively shoved in his shorts' pocket for later use.

Ben raised back up, still on his knees, and gazed at Jason's back stretched above him, slanting down to the perfect white globes contrasting sharply against the golden tan of Jason's bare body. Again he heard the voice. "See that perfect ass? Eat it boy." Impulsively Ben kissed the mounds, bit them gently, then buried his face between the cheeks, inhaling the male essence of the rugged fireman while lubricating the hole with his wet tongue.

Finally he pulled back, got to his feet and took a few steps back to get a good look at the tanned muscle-god standing butt naked, leaning forward, arms stretched up, hands braced against the glass. Jason looked at Ben in the mirror. "I wanna see my beautiful gypsy boy naked."

Without hesitation Ben stripped naked and stood where they could both see the reflection of the dark skinned young gypsy with his cock standing out from his black pubic hair, stiff as a rod. "See that perfect ass, kid? You ate it, lubed it up ... so fuck it."

"Excuse me, sir?" Ben had fully expected to get butt fucked by his master as usual, but now ... "I said fuck it, boy. "Fuck your master in the ass."

In a trance Ben walked forward, pressed his chest against Jason's back, reached round and stroked his pecs, then squeezed his nipples. The heat of their bodies sent fire racing through Ben and he nervously pressed the head of his stiff cock between the cheeks of Jason's ass.

"Aaah," Jason moaned, his tone softer now. "Come on, boy. Fuck my ass. I want it real bad. I wanna watch that naked fireman get his ass ploughed by a hot, rough young gypsy."

Ben pushed his cock over the sphincter of Jason's hole and felt it slide all the way in until the head of his cock was embedded in the fiery depths of his ass. He pulled back and drove it in again with more force. Jason's eyes locked with Ben's in the mirror. "Come on boy, give it to me. Let's see what you got. You say you and your family are tough. Didn't that big brother of yours teach you how to fuck ass?"

Jason was being deliberately provocative and Ben rose to the challenge. "Randy says we're a proud family and Pablo and me, we gotta uphold the family honor. So yeah, he did teach me how to fuck, and fuck hard ..."

Suddenly the dejected, bewildered young boy who had first entered the room now sprang to life and a fierce light came to his eyes, not unlike Randy's steely look. For Ben, upholding the family honor meant proving his toughness and he uttered a wild gypsy whoop as he clamped his hands on Jason's hips and slammed his cock in his ass.

Ben loved Jason and always lusted for his perfect body, but now it was more than that. He wanted to prove to the rugged fireman that he could be a dominant young buck, worthy to call him master. As he hammered Jason's ass Ben looked at him in the mirror and grinned. "You didn't think I was a wimp, did you, sir, just because my brother took a beating? We can take anything – and dish it out too, like this.

Jason was surprised at the boy's intensity as he pounded ass, though he was hugely turned on by the fierce young punk with the high gypsy cheekbones, piercing blue eyes under heavy black eyebrows, and unruly long black hair swinging across his face as he fucked. It was a stark contrast in the mirror to the finely etched, all-American features of the handsome blond firemen getting butt-fucked by his own boy.

Ben's youthful energy had no limits and he felt a surge of adrenaline, not to mention animal lust, as he continued to ramrod the fireman's hot ass. Jason took it all, elated at seeing his boy in this heightened state of passion. He grinned at Ben in the mirror, "Wow, kid, you sure know how to fuck. Is this how Randy makes love?"

Ben slowed down, recalling Randy's words about being confident but not arrogant. He also recalled how Randy made love. To Jason's disappointment Ben pulled his cock out and said softly, "Sir, would you please lie on your back on the floor? I want you to look at me instead of the mirror." Intrigued, Jason complied and gazed up at his boy standing astride him, chest heaving, eyes gleaming.

Ben knelt between Jason's splayed legs and said, "In answer to your question, sir, no, that was how Randy fucks, not how he makes love. There's a part of him not many people know, except Bob of course. He says there's nothing so sexy as when a warrior comes home all hot and horny but then slows down, relaxes and becomes a lover – a bit like this.

Jason bent his knees and slid his heels back toward him on the ground, exposing his ass. Ben smiled, "Thank you sir," and slowly pushed his cock back inside him. He dropped forward and braced his hands on the ground so his body and face were only a foot above Jason. He smiled and said to Jason what Pablo, right around that time, was telling Darius. "Randy makes love with his eyes as well as his cock. And his eyes can make you fall in love with him."

Jason understood as he looked up at a junior version of Randy – same dark, chiseled features, same long black hair and, above all, the same hypnotic blue eyes. Ben had learned well from his big brother. He too was fucking with his eyes and his cock. It was amazing how the ferocious young stud had been transformed into a gentle lover, with his hypnotic eyes and tender cock massaging his master's ass.

And suddenly Jason understood why the two boys worshipped Randy and, especially why Bob – good, kind, gentle Bob – was wildly in love with the man, despite his many flaws, his flaring rage and erratic behavior. And now Randy's kid brother was Jason's boy ... and he was fucking him, making love to him."

Ben broke into Jason's thoughts. "Sir, you are so hot, so incredibly beautiful, I have to cum inside you. And I would like to see you cum all over yourself. He leaned down and closed his mouth over Jason's. They kissed tenderly, searchingly, tongues licking each other, sealing their mouths over each other so they were sharing the same breath, sighing the same sigh as semen flowed out of them – Ben's into Jason's ass, the fireman's over his own perfect body.

Ben fell on him and Jason wrapped his arms round him. They were so in tune that Jason could feel the excitement drain from his boy, to be replaced by the anxiety that still growled just below the surface.

"Don't worry, kiddo," Jason whispered in his ear. "You just proved to me how tough and resilient you can be, and you get that from Randy. A man like him who can raise a great kid like you has to be good deep down inside. Sure he's in trouble right now but he'll bounce back. After all, he has Bob to love him, just as you have me. OK, kid?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you sir." The tired young gypsy slid beside him, lay his head on the fireman's chest, and closed his eyes in the merciful oblivion of sleep.

"He has Bob to love him," Jason had said. If only Randy could be sure of that as his lay in Zack's guest bedroom, his body bruised and aching, his mind racked with guilt. Brandon was still there, watching from his wheelchair in the shadows. Pablo and Ben had been to see him. So had Pete, entrusting Brandon to him in his absence. But still no sign of the man he most wanted to see – and feared to see.

There was a knock at the door and Randy jumped, assuming it was Bob. But Brandon said, "Sir, Pete's come to say goodbye to me, so if it's OK I'll sit with him in the garden for a while."

"Sure, kiddo. And make sure you tell the Ranger you love him." Brandon wheeled himself outside just as Bob came into the garden. "Hey Brandon, Pete. Have a good trip big guy and don't worry about your boy. He's in good hands." Bob went inside the house.

Brandon sat with Pete under a tree. Pete explained that he had to leave now as the Rangers had added an orientation to his schedule early the next morning. "So I'm driving up to Yosemite with a couple of buddies and I'll be back in a week. One day soon I'll take you up there – it's a magical place."

"That would be terrific, sir, only I don't think I'll be doing too much rock climbing," he chuckled.

"Don't worry, kiddo, we'll find plenty of other stuff to do. But listen now, `cos this is important. I don't want to clip your wings or interfere with your independence, but promise me that while I'm gone you'll let Randy keep an eye on you. And if you go out on a trip, use your cell phone to check with him often to let him know you're OK. I trust that man like no other to keep you safe."

Brandon made all the right promises and they sat close for some time talking about everything and nothing. Finally Pete got on his knees and hugged Brandon tight, then kissed him hard ... and he was gone. Brandon stayed in the garden alone waiting for Bob to come out. He sure didn't want to interfere in that conversation – though he wished he were a fly on the wall.

When Randy had heard Pete's knock on the door he was disappointed that it wasn't Bob. But right after that Bob himself came in and sat by the bed. They sat and stared at each other, Bob not sure what to say and Randy not sure what Bob was going to say. Finally it was Randy who broke the silence with a sheepish, "I fucked up, didn't I?"

"Yes."

Fucked up real bad this time."

"Yes."

"And you're plenty mad, I bet, like everyone else."

"Yes."

"Shit, buddy, don't you ever say anything but yes?"

"Yes I do, Randy, but just this. We've been in exactly this situation so many times before that it's like a broken record. Hell, I've even said that before. It all gets so repetitive. You lose your temper, beat up some poor guy, you get punished, apologize, make promises, then get on with your life ... until it happens again. Shit, if this were the plot of a novel readers would complain.

"Randy, I love you, you know that, and I always will, but this time your really went too far and tomorrow Zack and Mark and me are having a meeting to see where we go from here. I can't say any more right now in case I lose my temper and say too much."

He touched Randy's hand. "But I do love you Randy, that's the hell of it, in sickness and in health', and right now things are not so healthy, are they? Your reputation is in the toilet and we've got stuff to sort out cos I'm mad as hell with you. But don't worry, Randy. I know what your next question is and no, I'm not gonna leave you. I'll never do that. You know as well as I do we belong together no matter what."

"Thanks for saying that, Bob. You know it's the only thing in life that scares me to death. By the way, how are my boys, Pablo and Ben, doing? I've let them down so damn bad and they must be feeling like shit."

"Not as much as you might think," Bob shrugged. "Darius is being great with Pablo and they're gonna spend the night together. Jason has been amazingly supportive of Ben and they too will spend the night together."

"And you?"

Bob sighed. "I'll be spending the night with Mark. Right now I need to be with a guy who's solid and predictable ... and who loves me."

"Yeah, yeah, I see that. You're right ... Mark ... yeah I trust him with you."

Bob closed his eyes and sighed again. There was Randy's controlling arrogance again. "Goodnight, Randy."

He turned and left, then sat in the garden with Brandon for a moment. "Pete's gone, then, uh? Do you, er, have plans for the evening, Brandon?"

"No, sir. When Randy goes back upstairs with you I guess I'll go home and make friends with a good book."

"Yeah, well the point is, kiddo, that Randy's not coming back with me tonight. He'll stay here, which brings me to a big favor I want to ask. As you'll be alone anyway, do you think you could stay with Randy and take care of him? He was beat up pretty bad you know and, well, I worry."

"Oh of course, sir. I would never have left him alone. Don't worry, sir, I'll make sure he's OK."

"Thanks, Brandon, you're a good boy. Pete's a lucky guy to have you."

They parted and Brandon wheeled himself back into the guest room. "Well, sir," he said cheerfully to Randy, "looks like it's just you and me. I'm to stay here all night – Bob's instructions." Randy was moved by Bob's concern but spoke sharply to the boy.

"The hell you are. I don't want you sitting over there staring at me all night. If you stay here you're gonna get a good night's sleep ... in this bed. "Get your clothes off, boy." Brandon grinned and eased off his T-shirt and shorts. Naked he wheeled himself over to the bed and Randy said, "You need any help, kid?"

"Duh!" Brandon gave him the frozen stare that he bestowed on anyone who questioned his independence. Randy grinned, "Sorry, kiddo. Just checking." Brandon hauled himself expertly out of his chair and onto the bed. He felt strong protective arms wrap round him and he snuggled against the warm, muscular body. Then, "Ow! Shit, damn." Randy had pressed down on one of his bruises.

"Careful, sir." Brandon chuckled. "Hard to tell who's taking care of who, ain't it, sir?"

"You watch that mouth, kid," Randy growled and pulled him closer.

Bob walked wearily across the street and through the gate of his house. He couldn't face the master suite upstairs that he shared with Randy and knocked instead on the door of Mark's ground-floor apartment. It opened at once and a smiling Mark said, "Hey, you don't have to knock, buddy. You're always welcome here, you know that."

"I know, Mark," Bob grinned. "It's just that these days when I go through a door I never know what I'm gonna find on the other side. Where's Jamie?"

"Upstairs with his pal Mario. Those two usually get together when there's trouble in the house to talk and, well, comfort each other if you get my drift. Plus I think Jamie was being discreet leaving me alone. They'll probably spend the night together."

Despite his troubles Bob couldn't help admiring the handsome off-duty cop looking terrific, barefoot in cargo shorts and a faded Hawaiian shirt flapping open over his sculpted pecs. "Man, you're a sight for very sore eyes. I ..."

Mark silenced him by pulling him into a tight hug and kissing him. They both felt their cocks stiffen and only broke apart when they heard a knock on the door and a cheery voice announcing, "Room Service." Mark opened the door to the twins, Kyle and Kevin, and Nate, all bearing trays heaped with food and an assortment of drinks. "Wow, what's this?" Mark said.

"Sir," Kyle said, "no one was in the mood for a group dinner so we're doing room service this evening with Nate's help."

"So I see," Bob smiled. "You guys are terrific. I often think you hold the whole house together come hell or high water. You're like the Post Office." He intoned, "...nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night can stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Everyone laughed and Mark looked affectionately at Bob, thinking that's more like it – he was on the mend. The boys efficiently set out the meals and Bob said, "OK, guys, on your rounds you get to know all the goings on in this house better than anyone, so tell me what's happening."

"Well sir," Kevin said as the twins took turns with the recitation of their deliveries. "Pablo and Darius are together, so are Jason and Ben in Ben's room, and Jamie and Mario are upstairs as you know. Steve and Lloyd were still talking in our apartment when we took food to them..." "... but we didn't listen to what they were saying," said Kevin pointedly. "We took dinner to Randy and Brandon in Zack's house, except," Kyle giggled, "it was more like breakfast in bed if you know what I mean, sir."

"Good, good," Bob murmured as Kevin continued. "Zack is in his house too and Eddie is still up at Steve's house with Hassan and, presumably, Grady. We're gonna have dinner with Nate and Adam next door and ... and that's about it. Looks as if the dust is settling. Do you think we should do room service for breakfast tomorrow, sir?"

"No, guys, that's too much of a burden for you and, besides, I want the usual routine to resume as soon as possible. Life goes on, and so does work. But I love you for doing this now, boys."

They left, and suddenly Mark and Bob were alone, facing each other across the meal table enjoying the warmth (not to say heat) of each other's company. They talked about the situation at first but it was far too soon to come up with any solutions and Bob found it hard to speak about Randy so they soon dropped the subject. They talked instead of their boys, the trips they planned, but all the time the physical desire that always hovered over them was intensifying.

They were sipping brandy when it became clear to Mark that Bob was rambling a bit, anything to avoid the topic he found so painful. He reached across the table and folded his hands round Bob's. "Buddy, let's stop tiptoeing around and cut to the chase here. I can't take my eyes off the gorgeous hunk facing me and I'm dripping pre-cum in my shorts. I want to take you to bed and make love to you, Bob. That may sound totally inappropriate in the circumstances, but..."

"Fuck the circumstances," Bob grinned. "If we don't go to bed right now I'm gonna cream my shorts – and they were clean on today."

Mark got to his feet and smiled down at him. "I know just what you need, man. In all this mess your self-confidence has taken a beating and you feel adrift. You need something to reboot your ego, man – to supercharge that macho stud in you who turns me on so damn much. And there's one obvious way to do that."

Mark shrugged off his floppy shirt and let it fall to the ground. Then he ripped open his shorts and let them fall too. He wearing nothing underneath and his cock sprang to full attention. Butt naked he walked round to the bed and fell onto his back. Bob got up from the table and stared down at him. The rugged, naked cop, his blond hair disheveled, linked his hands behind his head on the pillow, elbows out, biceps flexed, lats flared. One leg was pulled toward him on the bed, knee bent, and the other was lying flat.

"Shit, man," Bob sighed, "couldn't you be just a bit less gorgeous so I don't get a boner every time I set eyes on you? If you were posing for a porn shoot it couldn't look any more homoerotic than that. They'd put you on the cover, make a fortune. And here I get to do what every other guy would be dying to do. Shit, man, I gotta fuck ass."

"You think you're up for that?" Mark taunted.

"Try me, asshole," Bob grinned. He pulled off his white V-neck T-shirt, kicked off his loafers and dropped his jeans and shorts. Legs astride he stood at the foot of the bed slowly stroking the long, hard rod that had busted from his jeans. Mark gazed up at the dark-haired alpha stud, his macho, square-jawed face, magnificent physique, muscles rippling as he stroked his cock.

Mark shifted one hand from behind his head and stroked his own cock, moaning, "Oh shit, man, that is fucking awesome. Hell, you're the one who's pornographic. If you were in a video I'd watch it in a continuous loop and jack off all day long fantasizing about that gorgeous muscle-god fucking my ass."

"No need to fantasize, buddy. I'm right here ... and so is my dick." Bob knelt on the bed, grabbed the leg that was bent at the knee and pushed it straight up in the air. Mark rolled slightly to his side, exposing his ass with a fuzz of blond hair round the hole. Bob reached over to a jar of lube that Jamie always kept there to grease up his hole every day before Mark came home from work. Bob dipped his fingers in then pushed them into Mark's ass.

"Man, your ass is so warm."

"It's on fire, buddy ... waiting for your cock. Please, man. I want it so bad."

Holding Mark's leg up with his right hand Bob ran his other hand over the cop's ripped abs and rock hard chest. He eased forward, pressed the head of his cock into the downy fuzz of hair round his hole and slid the whole length inside, deeper and deeper until the head passed over the inner sphincter and came to rest in the cauldron of the inner chamber.

"Aaah, aaah, aaah," Mark gasped and pumped his cock harder.

But Bob grabbed his wrist and pulled Mark's hand away. "No, no, you'll cum too fast. I want this to go on and on. Please don't shoot `til I say so." Mark grudgingly put his hand back behind his head and linked his fingers again to avoid the temptation of touching his cock. He gazed into Bob's soft brown eyes and said softly, "You're right, Bob. I want you to fuck me forever. Make love to my ass, man. Make love to my eyes."

And so it went on and on, two spectacular alpha males, one blond, one dark, making love, gazing at each other, brown eyes on blue eyes, silent at first, then talking, laughing, loving. And all the time the top man was sliding his cock into the naked cop's fiery ass. Many times they came close to orgasm and paused, smiling at each other with a hint of mischief. They were so perfectly attuned that they knew when to resume.

They lost track of time and place, just the two of them, alone in the world, making love. But at long last they knew it was time ... the pauses had ceased to help. Desire consumed them and Bob said simply, "OK, buddy, let's do it." They saw themselves reflected in each other's smiling eyes ... they were one ... and they came as one, with Bob's warm juice flowing copiously in Mark's ass, and Mark's cock erupting with jism that splashed up onto Bob's heaving chest.

Just as their love making seemed everlasting so did their orgasms, so that when at last Bob fell on top of Mark semen was everywhere. Mark held Bob tight, then suddenly felt tears flowing down Bob's cheek. He pushed Bob's face back, brushed the tears away and smiled at him. "Hey, hey, buddy. What's all that for?"

"Sorry man ... it's just that that felt so good, so why can't it always be like that with Randy? He's a great lover and I'm wild about him, but when he fucks up like this, I feel so... I dunno, there he is across the street feeling guilty as hell and here I am, and there's a great gulf between us. He should be here with us. You love him too, don't you, Mark? You said so."

"You know I do, Bob. Randy can be a terrific guy and a great lover as you said. We got a lot of work to do the three of us, but we'll get through it because we're three guys who love each other. And like the twins said, seems like the dust is settling, and then we can start to rebuild. We'll take it one day at a time. In the meantime you've got me, all night ... and soon, big guy, it's gonna be my turn as top man.

As they cuddled Mark chuckled. "Yeah, it'll be interesting to see what the next few days bring."

Interesting indeed. The group was collectively juggling a lot of balls in the air, trying to drop as few as possible. Steve and Lloyd were still talking. Grady was still with Hassan wondering what the hell was going on and where, if anywhere, he fit into all this or whether he should just go home and get on with his life.

At the center of it all was Randy, who was right now lying bruised and confused, being cared for by young Brandon. His reputation in the tribe was in shreds and was perilously close to being unredeemable. But as it turned out Brandon, unwittingly, would help to take care of that too, though, to use Randy's phrase, it wouldn't be pretty.

With Pete away for a week Brandon saw that as an opportunity to spread his wings and flaunt his independence. But he would later admit that he bit off more than he could chew when he took off alone for a run down the coast on his beloved motor-trike.

It would fall to Eddie to sound the alarm, his usual mischief suppressed by rising panic as he appeals to Randy. "Sir, sir, come quick. It's Brandon. He took off and now we can't get through on his phone. He hasn't checked in with us either like he said he would. He must be in some kind of trouble."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 269

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!