A Trial of Strength

TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 432 By Rob Williams

CHAPTER 432 – "THE TOUGH COP & MACHO AUSSIE FIGHT FOR A BOY"

IN THIS CHAPTER:

The hot police officer Mark is best buddies with the handsome Aussie stud Adam – until Adam starts lusting for Mark's boy, the surfer jock Jamie. Things come to a head on a beach vacation where Adam and Jamie give in to their lust in a torrid fuck and suck scene. When Mark catches them all hell breaks loose. It takes innocent, plain-speaking young Will to make the fuming cop come to his senses.

************ In the previous chapter *************

Identical twins Kyle and Kevin decided that their boy Will needed a break. It had been a tumultuous few weeks since he joined the tribe. Shy to begin with, he gradually got to know the various groups within the tribe, and even joined some of them in their sex games.

But a frightening climax had come when Will's abusive father Seth had showed up. Will had run away from home when his homophobic dad punished him for being attracted to men and then hypocritically abused him with attempted rape. And now his dad had tried to haul his boy away and drag him back home.

But the fierce gypsy Randy, the tribe's boss, had burst on the scene and, in a savage fight, thrashed Seth, tied him up and brutally fucked him. Just in time the cop Mark, Randy's buddy, arrived and prevented serious injury that could have resulted in assault charges against Randy.

Back home Randy recovered over a much needed Scotch with Mark and Randy's lover Bob. Randy wanted to thank Mark for keeping him out of jail. Inevitably his suggestion ended up in a homoerotic threesome where the cop fucked Bob, and Randy got his rocks off by watching and jerking off all over his buddies.

When it was finally over they sprawled in chairs unwinding over the last of the Scotch. "Man, that was a trip." Mark said. "A bit different from you fucking that Seth character, eh boss?"

"Ah the guy's a total fake. He was obviously a nut-job, spouting all that phony religious bullshit that men having sex with men were evil and would burn in the fires of hell. When I heard the dad had tried to punish his kid by fucking his ass, well, you add two and two and ... sexual repression anyone? The clincher was when I had him pinned to the ground and stared into his eyes. I saw it right away – lust mixed with fear. So I fucked him ... and he'll be back for more."

Bob said, "Well let's hope things calm down a bit, now. Too much excitement for these tired bones." He changed the subject to the trip that was being planned by the twins to get Will out of town for a while. "So, Mark, rumor has it you and Jamie are off on a trip with Will and the twins and the Aussies Adam and Nate. You and the Aussies have become pretty close lately I hear."

"Yeah," Mark said, "well Nate and Jamie have been best friends ever since Nate joined the tribe, and they're big surfing buddies. The idea is for them to introduce Will to the sport. He's real excited. He hasn't got to know Jamie and Nate well yet, so it'll be fun for him."

"And you and Adam?" Bob asked carefully. "I've always thought of you two as a lot alike – both drop-dead gorgeous, both with sexy young jocks as your boys. `Course, being so similar can sometimes lead to, er, tension, as I know only too well with Randy here and some of the macho guys he's tangled with. Alpha males are always competitive, mostly friendly but ... not always."

"Damn, you don't miss much do you, Bob, with those sensitive antennas of yours? Yeah, Adam and me have become real close. We think alike, have the same outlook on life ..."

"But ...?

Mark shrugged. "Well, I've seen the way Adam looks at Jamie. Obviously he lusts after him – I mean who wouldn't? Sexy blond California surfer – everyone's fantasy. But I can't get comfortable with that yet. I mean, you know me and Jamie – real close. I feel kind of possessive about Jamie, not ready to share him – much like the way you feel about Bob, Randy. But it sort of gets in the way of my friendship with Adam."

"Hmm, you can't let stuff like that smolder," Bob said. "It has a way of blowing up."

"You're right, Bob. To tell you the truth that's one reason I suggested Adam and Nate come on the trip. Up in the dunes we'll have a chance to clear the air – one way or the other."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, buddy. I'm sure things will turn out fine. So Randy, how about you and me get cleaned up before dinner? It's likely to be a celebration this evening and you'll be the hero of the hour, having saved Will from the clutches of his dad. `Course, with all your scratches and bruises you'll look the part of the wounded warrior – the boys will like that."

"And I've gotta get back to Jamie," Mark said, "see how he's doing, and what he's doing." He chuckled. "Like I said, I'm kinda possessive."

After warm hugs he left the room and Bob raised his eyebrows at Randy and shrugged.

******************* CHAPTER 432 ********************

As Bob had predicted, the tribe's dinner that evening at the big table by the pool was a boisterous celebration. Word had quickly gone up on the grapevine about Randy's macho rescue of young Will from the clutches of his dad Seth.

Will's buddy Brandon had been there and had played an important role by alerting Randy and then the cop Mark of the situation. So he had been badgered by Darius and Eddie for all the details ("spill the beans, dude") and that's all it took. Darius was the tribe's historian and Eddie talked a mile a minute, so by the time they sat down for dinner everyone knew everything.

Bob had also predicted that the tribe's boss Randy would be the hero of the hour, and of course he was. The twins and Will had cooked the meal as usual and when they had finished serving the twins took their places at table and nodded to Will who remained standing. He was still wearing the dark green apron he always wore in the kitchen, and his unruly red hair strayed out from under his white chef's hat.

His freckled face blushed deeply as the twins banged their knives against their wine glasses for silence. Will coughed and cleared his throat. "Guys," he croaked, then swallowed nervously and cleared his throat again. "Guys, I just wanna say thank you to Randy for coming to my rescue when my dad attacked me and tried to take me home. My dad Seth is a big guy, fights a lot, but Randy totally demolished him and ... and then, like, well, fucked him in the ass."

There were cheers all round as they could all well imagine the scene – vintage Randy. When the cheering tailed off Will said, more confidently now, "I also want to thank Mark for riding up and taking charge. We were afraid Randy would really hurt Seth and wind up in jail, but Mark was ... well, he did his cop thing and ... you know ..."

After the laughter subsided Will added, "I wanna thank my buddy Brandon too. I was panicking but he stayed cool and phoned Randy and Mark ... and he took care of my dog Norman too." Amid cheers for Brandon Will sat down, but then stood up again. "Er, there's one more thing. When Mark asked me if I wanted to go home with my dad I said no. That's `cos this is my home now and you guys ..." he faltered and his eyes filled with tears, "... you guys are my family."

He quickly sat down, blushing scarlet, and got a standing ovation. Bob leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Well done, William – we all love you as you can tell."

Bob stood up and waved for silence. "That speech was a tough act to follow and I'm not gonna try. I just want to propose a toast to the big scruffy gypsy to my right. You can't miss him – he's the one with all the cuts and bruises. I've tried to stop him fighting but it's a lost cause. It was all I could do to get him to wear a shirt for dinner," he grinned. "So gentlemen, please raise your glasses to our wounded warrior and fearless leader ... Randy!"

Amid cheers and whistles Randy rose and said, "Thanks guys." He whisked off Will's chef's hat and ruffled his hair. "As I recall, Red, you swung a mean tree branch at Seth and dropped him good. We made a great team. Tomorrow in the gym I'll show you how to swing your fists."

And the party ramped up from there. The boys hurled questions at the junior heroes Will and Brandon, while Randy basked not so much in the group's adulation as much as the self-satisfaction of having once again defended his boys, a role he'd played for most of his adult life.

Late that evening, after the crowd had disbursed and Will had helped the twins clean up the kitchen, the tired trio finally made it upstairs to bed. "Will," Kevin said, "if ever there was a night for you to sleep with Kyle and me, tonight's the night." Kyle agreed. "We don't want you to wake up all alone having nightmares about today.

"Thank you, sirs, I would like that. Er, Norman was pretty shook up too. Could he join us?"

"Of course. Where you go Norman goes. Which I assume includes our trip up the coast."

As they lay in bed, with Norman already fast asleep, the twins explained the trip to Will. "The Guadalupe Dunes are just over three hours up the coast," Kyle said. "Guys of the tribe often go there to relax and shake off the dust of the city. Mark has a shack on the beach that he gave to Jamie, and about two miles further down the beach is Zack's shack. He was actually living there years ago when he met Mark and the boys and ... well, the rest is history."

Kevin continued. "We got together with Mark and Adam and worked out that this Friday would be the time to go, for a long weekend. Mark has a lot of comp time off, Jamie will leave Brandon in charge of the office, Adam has a week off from his airline and Nate will hand over the house management to Eddie. It all works a treat."

"But who'll be doing the meals for the guys left here, sir?"

"Ah, well that's another reason this weekend is so good. See, Grady and Mario are leaving on one of Grady's press and PR junkets for Grady's movie – Japan and China, I think, `cos his first Tarzan movie was huge over there. They're hoping for some time to explore on their own, except that Grady is mobbed wherever he goes these days.

"Anyway, that leaves only Danny and Brian in the Grady House so they've both decided to come here and close up the house, leaving only the security guards. And they will be taking care of the guys here while we're away. Brian will move in with his boyfriend Brandon across the street, and Danny will stay here in our apartment where he can spend nights with his lover Tommy. It's a win-win for everyone."

Will was silent for a moment, then said, "Sirs, it's probably none of my business but when I talked about the trip to Brandon and asked him for info on Mark, Jamie and the Aussies he told me they were all great buddies but, er ... well he mentioned a kind of situation between ..."

"... between Mark and Adam," Kevin said. "Yeah, Bob told us about that. Those guys are both tough alpha males and real good friends. But it's obvious that Adam lusts for Jamie and Mark can't get his mind around that. You know how he is with Jamie – kind of possessive, like Randy is with Bob. Let's hope that smoldering problem gets sorted out before it bursts into flames."

"But you're right, Will," Kyle added. "It really doesn't have anything to do with us. It's like when Randy and Bob have issues – no one gets involved, they sort it for themselves. So, whatever happens, we three are just going up there to have a good time."

Those last words rattled around in Will's mind as he closed his eyes to sleep. He was familiar enough with the tribe by now to know that that when problems smoldered the embers didn't just die down. All it took was a gust of wind to start the fire.

Friday came and there was a big send-off. Adam and Nate were to ride with Mark and Jamie in Mark's big truck and they loaded several surfboards in the back along with all their other gear. The twins were to drive Will and Norman in the Range Rover Bob had bought for them.

Adam and Mark were similarly dressed in cargo shorts – Adam in a white tank top and Mark in the black ribbed tank he always wore on outings up here with Jamie, knowing it was a look that really turned Jamie on. Jamie and Nate were in their usual old board shorts and loose tanks. They had found a pair of board shorts for Will that were a bit too big and made him look especially lovable to the twins, who were wearing matching blue polo shirts.

Excitable Eddie hopped around as the cars were loaded, giving Will advice, suggestions, and a firm order to keep his eyes open and `spill all the beans' to the other boys when he got back. Tyler and Finn were there too giving Will exaggerated hugs as if he were going halfway round the world instead of two hundred miles up the coast. Will kissed Brandon in his wheelchair. "Thanks for everything you did at the fight, Brandon. You were one cool dude."

Bob was there too and smiled at Jamie and Nate. "Sorry I won't get to see you two young jocks riding the waves – that always makes my dick hard. And take care of Will out there. He tries to keep up with you guys but don't push him too fast.

Finally Bob had a few carefully chosen words for Mark and Adam. "You two take it easy, guys. This should be a fun trip, especially as you're all family. Help the boys take care of Will – he's still new to all this." Bob hugged Adam, then threw his arms round Mark and kissed him long and hard.

And then they were off. Mark led the way behind the wheel of his truck with Adam beside him, chatting mostly about sports and their jobs. Adam joked about some of the weird things he dealt with as an in-flight supervisor when he was working flights to and from Sydney, and Mark countered with his adventures as a cop on the streets of L.A. In the back seat behind them Jamie and Nate looked up weather and surf conditions in Guadalupe on their phones and strategized how they would help Will take his first rookie steps on a surfboard.

The twins' Range Rover followed them with Kyle at the wheel, Kevin beside him and Will in the back seat with Norman on his lap looking out of the open window. In the intimacy of a long car ride Will felt relaxed enough to open up about his dad. Previously he had not discussed those dark days with them but now they listened in pained silence as he told them his story.

"I really used to love my dad until he got so weird about the sex thing. And when I saw Randy beat Seth and then fuck him and even kiss him I sorta of realized how fucked up he was about the whole thing. I mean, he really liked getting fucked by Randy. Who would have guessed it?"

"Well Randy, for one," Kyle said. "That guy knows all there is to know about men and sex. And who knows, maybe he'll arrange some kind of reconciliation in the future. But don't let's dwell on that anymore. We brought you here to get away from all that and have fun."

"Yeah," Kevin said, "so sit back and relax, kiddo – we've got about three hours to go. We'll probably not make any stops on the way, although when Mark and Jamie come up here to their shack they do make a stop about halfway for ... well ... for a break."

"Ah, come on Kev," Kyle said, "don't pussyfoot around with Will. He's seen enough by now he can handle the truth. They stop for sex!" Will's eyes gleamed – more gossip. "You saw how Mark was dressed," Kyle grinned, "in that sexy black tank top that shows off his muscular physique so well. He always wears that to turn Jamie on and it always works.

"It's one of the tribe's legends," Kevin explained, "the way they both have roaring hard-ons as they drive up here and there's a spot where Mark gets off the freeway and drives down a track into the scrub. They stop at a cluster of trees where Mark pulls down the tailgate of the truck, sits Jamie on it and pushes him back on the flatbed. And that's where he fucks his boy."

"Wow, I'd sure like to see that," said Will, wide-eyed as he imagined the scene.

After that he remained silent. Kevin looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the frown on the boy's face as he stroked Norman in his lap. "Anything wrong, Will?" Kevin asked.

"No, sir ... well yes, I do want to ask you something, sir." The twins loved his directness. It was part of his honesty – he never lied and never held anything back. "Sirs, would you tell me the truth? Do you still love me like you did at first?"

The question stunned them. "Of course we do, Will," Kyle said. "We love you even more than we first did, the more time we spend with you. Why would you ask such a question?"

"Well, sir, since I joined the tribe you've encouraged me to get to know the other guys and often to have sex with them – like Randy, the leathermen and the boys. And you talk about all the sex that guys like Mark and Jamie have. But you haven't fucked me for quite a while, not since you double-fucked me. I know we're usually tired after a long day and we get up early to do the breakfasts so ... Like, even after the fight and we all slept together we went straight to sleep. Is it `cos I'm not a good fuck, sirs?"

"Oh Will," Kevin said, "that is insecurity talking and we're sorry you feel that. But you're right, we haven't fucked enough – and that's our fault. We get so wrapped up in our job, work such long hours and get so exhausted that we don't make love to you enough. But it's not because we don't want to. We love making love to you and you're a great fuck."

"Which is one reason we planned this trip, kiddo," Kyle said. "We needed to get away from all the work and the pressure and spend time alone with you. Us three are gonna be staying in Zack's shack where you are gonna get so fucking fucked, kid, it'll make your head spin. You'll be begging us to stop."

"Oh I'll never ask you to stop, sirs," said Will with a beam of relief. "Just checking, sirs."

With that settled the ride continued in companionable silence, all three of them lost in their thoughts. An hour went by and Kyle suddenly said, "Er, maybe we won't have to wait until we're in the shack. Do you see what I see, Kev?"

"I sure do, bro. Will, like the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. You might get it sooner than you think"

Mark always drove in the fast lane but now he was steadily moving over four lanes of traffic to the right lane and slowing down. Kyle followed his lead toward the notorious cut-off. "Looks like we will be taking a break after all, guys."

Will realized what was happening and his heart beat faster as they followed the truck off the highway onto a narrow road then turned onto a faint gravel trail that led off into the remote expanse of sagebrush. After a long bumpy ride Mark stopped in a stand of trees that shielded them from view. Kyle pulled up beside the truck and everyone got out.

Will let Norman run around and pee, then put him back in the SUV and watched as Mark lowered the truck's tailgate. Nate grinned at Jamie and said in his cheerful Aussie drawl, "Dunno about you, mate, but I know where my bloke wants me." He leaned back against the tailgate and pulled himself up on it, sitting with his legs dangling over the edge. Jamie did the same and sat next to his buddy.

"Room for one more up there, dudes?" Kyle asked. Jamie and Nate shuffled over on the wide tailgate. Kyle put his hands on Will's waist, lifted him up and sat him next to Nate. Sitting in the middle Nate spread his arms over the shoulders of the other two and grinned broadly. "Here we are, mates, a real tailgate party. Anyone got any lube?"

"I do." Will pulled a tube out of his pocket. "Brandon told me never to leave home without it."

"Now there's a boy who comes prepared," Adam laughed. "So let's get `em, mates."

Working in ritualistic unison Mark, Adam and Kyle walked forward and pushed their respective boys on their backs on the tarp spread over the flatbed of the truck. They tugged at their shorts, pulled them off and grinned down at their prey. The boys stared up at Mark in his black tank top, his muscular buddy Adam in a white tank, and Kyle in his blue polo shirt.

Adam took the lube from Will and handed it to Mark. "Here, mate, you're the expert at these tailgate parties. You go first."

Mark pulled his cock out of his shorts, lubed it up and smiled down at Jamie. "I guess we are the experts Jamie, this ain't exactly our first time at the rodeo. First time we've ever had company, though. Let's show them how it's done, eh stud?" He pushed Jamie's legs back, looked into his eyes and slid his huge dick smoothly into the surfer's ass. Jamie smiled with a contented sigh.

Adam grinned down at Nate. "OK, mate, you're next. Our first time at a tailgate party, so let's show the Yanks how the Aussies do it." It was remarkably similar to how the Yanks do it – fucking is fucking even when it's on a truck. Adam pulled out his long cock, spread lube on it and drove it in a bit faster than Mark – a sign of the competitive edge that always existed between him and his cop buddy.

Kyle and Kevin looked down at the wide-eyed freckled face of their boy. "You're one of the boys now, kiddo," Kevin chuckled, "You sure you want it?"

"Yes please, sir." Will was so eager that he pulled his legs back by himself and watched Kyle lube his cock, then ease it in slowly and carefully, aware that Will was still quite new to taking a dick in his ass.

The synchronized ritual continued as the three men slowly pulled off their shirts and flexed their bare torsos. They leaned forward and pinned their boys' wrists on the tarp above their heads.

Mark fucked Jamie in relative silence as their love-making was intense. Even in public they had eyes only for each other, a celebration of love that took place daily and never got stale.

Next to them the Aussies were typically more vocal. "This is bloody brilliant, mate," Adam grinned, "out here in the middle of nowhere. Love your ass, kid. We should do this more often."

"We should do it when we're in Sydney, sir ... show those blokes down under what they're missing." Adam laughed and drove his cock in deeper.

Nate looked up adoringly at Adam's strong, finely etched features, short dark hair, clear confident brown eyes and his golden-tanned body with its square-cut pecs and ripped abs. He was every inch the alpha male, the kind of man all eyes turned to when he walked into a room or down the aisle of a plane. Nate was proud to be his boy and it was no wonder that the macho blond cop Mark felt an affinity to him – and the friendly rivalry of equally beautiful men.

While Jamie smiled serenely at Mark and Nate grinned knowingly at Adam, the boy next to them was in a pitch of excitement. It wasn't only that Will was about to be fucked by the identical brothers he loved. He was here taking his place alongside two of the senior boys, included in their sex games even though he was the newest of the junior boys.

Will's reputation had grown stronger as he had interacted with the other men of the tribe, shaking off his earlier shyness and increasing in sexual confidence. And when word went round of his dad's attack, Randy's big fight, and the way Will joined in by whacking his dad with a branch, respect for the kid soared.

Kyle was fucking him harder now and it wasn't long before Kevin demanded his turn. Even that was a source of pride for Will, getting fucked by the identically handsome brothers in turn while the other boys had only one master. When Kevin took over Will reached up and tweaked his nipples, then ran his fingers down the cleft between his pecs and traced the ridges of his abs.

The sun beat down on the homoerotic scene. It streamed through the trees and the dappled light played over the men's muscled backs as they rose and fell over the surfer, the young Aussie and the excited rookie.

They were approaching their climaxes when Adam laughed, "Hey Mark this ain't fair. Will has two blokes and gets a change of cocks but our guys have to make do with one. How about we do the old switcheroo and change asses. Now that I've stoked Nate's furnace his ass is roaring hot, you're gonna love it. And you know I've been lusting for your surfer's ass forever."

Without waiting for Mark's reaction Adam pulled out of Nate. "Come on, mate, where's your sense of adventure?" He left no option for Mark but to join in the switch or look like a party pooper. So they switched and the boys grinned as they felt a new cock invade their ass.

Nate, with his exuberant sense of fun was game for anything and sighed, "Oooh, getting fucked by a cop – every boy's wet dream. My ass is yours officer." But next to him Jamie's reaction was not quite so flippant. Devoted though he was to Mark, Jamie always got a hard-on when he saw the tall, handsome Aussie, especially when he was stripped to the waist with his magnificent gym-honed body on display – as he was now.

As Adam drove his cock in his ass Jamie smiled up at him and attempted an imitation of his accent. "Good on ya, mate. Let's see what you blokes got that ours don't."

As Adam fucked faster and deeper Jamie gazed up in awe at the Aussie musclehunk's chiseled features and sculpted torso and he became mesmerized by the strong, steady brown eyes. He reached up and stroked Adam's chest, then dug his fingers into the rock solid pecs and moaned in ecstasy as the long shaft penetrated his ass.

None of their mutual lust was lost on Mark who felt resentment rising in him. He had to end it. He looked down at Nate and said, "Wet dream eh, Nate? Well here's how it really feels to have a cop's jizz flood you Aussie ass."

Nate curled his fist round his own cock and stroked hard as the cop's rod pounded his ass. "I can't hold back, sir," he panted. "I'm gonna shoot ... cum inside me, officer. Fuck ... fuck ... yeah ...!" His cock spurted cum over his body as he stared up at Mark who threw his head back, his tousled blond hair flying, and his cock erupted deep in the ass of Adam's boy.

Next to them Jamie stared awestruck at the square-jawed hunk pile-driving his ass. Adam leaned forward, pinned Jamie's wrists to the tarp and ginned, "Let's see what you got, stud. No hands, right? Feel my dick pumping your ass? Feels so fucking hot ... I'm gonna drain my nuts inside you ... here it comes, mate. Cum for me, Jamie ... Yeaaah ..."

Adam poured jizz in his ass while Jamie struggled to touch his own cock. But Adam kept his hands pinned and Jamie howled as his cock exploded in a spontaneous orgasm, a hands-free climax he achieved with no other man except Mark.

Oblivious of the simmering sexual challenge being waged beside him Will's intense focus was on Kevin who was about to lose his load in his boy's ass. "You gonna cum for me and my brother, kiddo?"

"Definitely, sir."

"Here, let me help." Kevin stroked Will's cock as he fucked his ass and Will panted, "I'm gonna cum ... I love you, sir ... aaah. Kevin pumped Will's cock and his ass and they shot their loads at the same time. Quickly Kevin pulled out and Kyle took over, grabbing Will's cock and plunging his rod in in his ass. "Thank you, sir," Will moaned and shot a second load as Kyle mixed his own semen with his brother's inside their smiling red-headed boy.

Having let off steam sexually the group cheerfully pulled themselves together and got dressed. "Damn I envy you, mate," Adam grinned at Mark. "That boy of yours is so fucking sexy, and you get to make love with him all the time. I can see why your first thought when you get home from work is that gorgeous ass."

Nate laughed, "And now I know why you're always there Jamie, waiting on the bed with your legs raised. Looking up at the muscle-god cop while he fucks is ... well, like I said, every guy's wet dream. And this time I got to live it! As for you, Will, servicing two identical brothers and two dicks every time ... that must be fucking brilliant ... tiring too."

Will grinned and blushed and Kevin said, "And to think that driving up here he said he wasn't getting enough. We'll have to make up for that while we're here. That was just the opening act."

The only one of the party who seemed subdued was Mark, who said only, "Yeah, time to hit the road, guys. Still got a ways to go."

In the same formation, with Mark's truck in the lead, they headed back along the trail and swung onto the highway headed north. In the twins' Range Rover Will chatted excitedly and thanked the twins profusely. "It was a lot of fun doing that with the other guys, sirs. Everyone had a great time, don't you think?"

There was a momentary silence in the front seat as Kevin looked at Kyle and raised his eyebrows. "Well," Kyle said, looking at Will in the rear-view mirror, "maybe we should say almost everyone had a good time. You remember what we talked about before, Will, the situation between Mark and Adam? They're both strong, dominant men and real good buddies, but there's that thing of Adam's lust for Jamie."

Kevin took over. "Yeah, well that normally wouldn't be a problem ... hell in this tribe a lot of men lust for other boys than their own and there's a lot of temporary boy swapping goes on. Hey, we let Randy fuck you, kiddo, no problem. But no one is quite as possessive of his boy as Mark is, so the boy swap back there was not easy for him to take."

They spoke in turn, as usual, and Kyle took over. "'Course, the Aussies have no problem with that. Adam and Nate are always so happy-go-lucky and free spirited that an occasional boy swap is just fun for them. So Adam was not aware that it could cause a problem, especially as he and Mark are such good buddies."

"But the thing you must never forget," Kevin added, "is that Mark is a cop, with the mindset of a cop. He's tough, confident and used to being obeyed – almost as if he's in uniform all the time. It's what makes him such a stud sexually, but also what makes him so competitive with other guys. Hell, it took him a long time to accept his threesome with Bob and Randy."

"But he's the strong silent type who holds his feelings in. He has this simmering resentment about Adam and Jamie but it's hard for him to put it in words. What he should have said back there was that he wasn't cool with Adam fucking Jamie and that would have done the trick. Adam don't wanna upset his buddy so he would have respected his wishes and backed off.

"You know, Mark told Bob that one reason for this trip with the Aussies was to clear the air on the subject. But he sure missed an opportunity there. Trouble is, as Bob says, you let something like that smolder away and it eventually bursts into flames."

Will listened carefully to all this. He loved being taken into the twins' confidence, having them share their thoughts with him on even intimate things. He frowned in thought and when he gave his opinion it was like a breath of fresh air for the twins – the down-to-earth thoughts of an innocent eighteen-year-old, stripped of all the complications men pile on later.

"I don't get it, sirs. I mean, Mark and Jamie love each other to bits, everyone knows that. Adam and Nate spend most of their time together because they are both so into each other, hardly ever apart. Jamie and Nate are surfing buddies from way back, almost boyfriends. And Mark and Adam have that kinda macho connection ... you know, they got that love and respect thing going. So I don't see the problem. Everyone loves everyone else so ... ain't that enough?"

The twins smiled at each other and Kevin reached back and ruffled Will's hair. "That's why we love you kiddo. We describe a situation that looks real complicated but you cut right through the bullshit and make it simple. What you're saying is love conquers all – or it should. And maybe with you and your clear-eyed wisdom around, it will. Let's hope so."

When the group arrived at Guadalupe they followed Main Street almost all the way to the beach, then veered off on a sandy track though the dunes that eventually led to the back of Mark and Jamie's beach shack. As soon as they got down from the vehicles and stretched their aching limbs they unloaded their gear and took it into the shack.

Jamie and Nate unloaded the surfboards and planted them in the sand beside the shack. "So what do you think, junior?" Jamie grinned.

Will looked around him with a broad grin on his face. "It's gorgeous, sir. So much sand and sea – and there's no one else here!"

"That's one reason we love it so much. It's so remote that it's always deserted. When Randy first saw it he said, `Man you can fuck on the beach without anyone seeing'."

"'Course," Nate laughed, "that guy would fuck on the beach in front of a crowd if he wanted to."

"Come in and see the kitchen, Will," Kyle said. Will cast an expert eye over it. "It's not bad for such a small place. Got all the basics. Is this where we'll cook, sirs?"

"Sometimes," Kevin said. "We'll go into the cantina in the village too but when we cook for us it'll be here. The kitchen in Zack's shack is way too small, though we'll be sleeping there, Will."

Jamie and Nate were scoping out the waves. "Looking good, breaking well" Nate said, "let's get out there mate. A bit too high for you, Will. Best time for a beginner is in the morning before the wind gets up."

"Oh that's OK, I gotta help the guys take our stuff down to Zack's shack."

""Yeah, we should do that now and relax afterwards," Kyle said. "It's about two miles – good exercise after sitting in the car for so long. You and Jamie going surfing, Nate?"

"We sure are. Any of you other blokes wanna come? Adam, Mark?"

"Count me in," Adam said. "It'll be like that time we three surfed on Manly Beach in Sydney all those years ago. You coming Mark?"

"Nah, I wanna stretch my legs. I'll help these three guys schlep their stuff down the beach."

The twins had searched the faces of Mark, Adam and their boys when they got out of the truck for signs of tension but found none. Mark was a bit quiet but there was nothing unusual in that. Kevin said privately to Kyle, "Probably good for those two to be apart for a while. Defuse any lingering resentment in Mark for that boy swap."

And so the group spilt up. They all stripped down to their swim trunks or board shorts and Mark led the twins and Will down the beach carrying back packs containing their personal stuff.

The other three, Jamie and the Aussies, were like kids let out of school. They waxed their boards then tucked them under their arms and bounded down to the water. "This is the life eh, mates?" Adam laughed. "Freedom to do just whatever the hell we want."

Which came squarely under the category of `famous last words'.

Will felt very happy as he kicked through the surf with Mark and the twins. Mark was in a somewhat pensive mood and Kyle tried to distract him by asking about how he had got to know Zack when he was living alone in his shack.

"Well, it's not an exaggeration to say he saved my life. I was up here with Jamie and a few of the boys who were foolish enough to take the rowboat out and lose the oars. They were drifting helplessly in a strong lateral current so I swam out, wrapped the tow rope round me and swam as hard as I could, pulling the boat behind me.

"Swimming parallel to the shore I inched my way closer but it was agonizing work and just when my feet touched sand I passed out. The boys dragged me to shallow water but I had swallowed a lot of water and almost drowned when this strong muscular black guy in ragged shorts appeared out of nowhere. He hauled me to shore and gave me mouth-to-mouth until finally I coughed up water and breathed again. He gave a stern warning to the boys about the dangers of the ocean and ran off as suddenly as he had appeared.

"It wasn't until the next day that I ran down the beach again, saw the shack and Zack sitting outside it. Turned out he had lost his job as a construction worker so I told him about Randy's company and ... well the rest is history."

"Wow," Will gaped. "So he gave you the kiss of life, sir? And when you met him in his shack, did you have sex, sir?"

The twins objected to the blunt question as too personal but Mark laughed. "It's OK, guys. And yes, Will, if memory serves I think we did have sex. It was the only way I could think of to thank him and, even though he was new to man-on-man sex he didn't say no. Course these days I don't fuck around much, except with Bob and Randy, cos I've got Jamie. Jamie and me are about as close as two guys can get."

They continued down the beach in an uneasy silence, each man nursing his own thoughts.

Two miles up the beach the sound of laughter competed with the hiss of water and cries of the seagulls as the three men repeatedly climbed on their boards, soared to shore on the crest of a wave, then paddled back out to wait for the next set.

When at last they started to get tired and sat astride their boards feeling the swell under them Adam said, "Maybe we should make this the last one for a while, mates. We should go in and tidy up the shack for when the guys get back, maybe pitch the tent too."

Riding the surf was addictive and it always hard to stop, but they agreed with Adam and soon the three of them were skimming in to shore, picking up their boards and walking up to the shack. They went in and began unpacking the gear, stocking the kitchen and bathroom, when Jamie pulled a backpack from the bottom of the pile on the bed. `Is this yours, Nate, or Adam's? It don't belong to Mark or me."

"No," Nate frowned ... "oh hell, it's the twins'. They carry it everywhere, but they must have missed it under the pile. They might need it. Listen, while you finish up here I don't mind taking it down to them. I could do with a nice solitary jog – you know..." he laughed and dramatically tossed his hair back ... "the wind in my hair, the spray in my face and all that good stuff."

"Good on ya, mate," Adam said. "While you're gone we'll straighten this mess out and then break out the drinks for when you all get back. Then it's party time, fellas."

Nate took off down the beach and Adam and Jamie continued sorting out the clothes. They broke out a couple of beers and drank while they worked. "Hey," Jamie said, "here's the white tank you wore on the way up, Adam. You looked so fucking hot in it, dude, almost as hot as when you took it off to fuck Nate and me."

Adam laughed. "It's a great show-off tank – it would look just as sexy on you, mate. Take a look." Adam took the shirt from him, pulled it over Jamie's head and down over his chest. "Damn," Adam said, smoothing his hand over the shirt. "It looks beautiful on you, Jamie." His hand strayed up to Jamie's neck and he brushed his fingers across his lips.

Jamie inhaled sharply. "We're pretty much done here, dude. Let's sit down and relax until the others get back."

"OK, let me get out of these wet board shorts first," Adam said. "Don't wanna get everything damp in here. Adam walked out the door, took off his shorts and hung them over one of the surfboards to dry. When he came back he stood in the doorway backlit by the sun and Jamie gasped, "Jesus Christ, man, you look so fucking gorgeous."

He was staring at the tall, handsome Aussie with his square-cut features, tanned, muscular physique, buck naked except for the white jockstrap he'd had on under his shorts. Adam smiled, reached up and braced his hands against the top corners of the doorframe, his body stretched to perfection in a pose of a fitness model.

Jamie dropped his board shorts and his cock sprang out hard as a rock. He walked forward, ran his hands over the slabs of Adam's chest, then sank to his knees. He grabbed Adam's waist and clamped his mouth over the bulge in the jockstrap, sucking the swelling cock through the cotton fabric.

Adam looked down at the young jock on his knees in just a white tank, biceps flexed, his full lips open over his bulge. "Damn that looks hot." He reached down, grabbed Jamie's tousled blond hair and pressed his face hard against his crotch.

Jamie pulled the waistband of the jock down with his teeth and buried his face in the black pubic hair that appeared. Adam grinned, "Man, you are one sexy young stud." He pulled his jockstrap off and shoved it in the surfer's mouth. He pulled Jamie up on his feet, clamped their mouths together and they kissed ravenously through the sweat-stained jock.

Finally Adam yanked the soaking jock out of Jamie's mouth with his teeth and spat it out. They kissed again with no impediment to their churning tongues.

Adam held Jamie tight, feeling the muscles of his back under the tank. When finally they broke apart Jamie's eyes gleamed as he said "Wait a minute." He picked up off the bed the black ribbed tank that Mark had worn in the truck, Jamie's favorite. "Mark always looks incredible in this. Put it on, Adam, let's see it on you."

Adam pulled it on over his ripped torso and they stood side by side gazing at their reflection in the floor length mirror, naked from the waist down. The blond surfer wore only the white tank, the dark muscle-god only the black, and their cocks stood out like poles, dripping pre-cum.

"Bloody brilliant," Adam said. Jamie was awestruck by the sight of this macho stud wearing Mark's black tank. They faced each other and kissed again, grinding their chests together through the thin shirts. "Damn, I gotta get you on that bed, boy," Adam growled. He picked Jamie up bodily and threw him on his back on the bed, then launched himself on top of him.

They rolled over on the bed, grappling, grinding against each other. What excited them even more was the sensation of partial nudity, each wearing only tank tops that they groped, stroked and pressed against, turned on by the feel rather than the sight of their muscular torsos while their cocks churned against each other.

Adam was on top, kissing Jamie, when he pulled back and said. "Damn you're hot ... I wanna eat your cock, boy." He slid down Jamie's body, drooled at sight of the surfer's shuddering cock, and clamped his mouth over it. He swallowed it all the way down his throat and then pounded it with his eager mouth. Lying flat on his stomach he reached up and twisted Jamie's nipples through the tank top.

"Oh fuck," Jamie groaned, transfixed by the spectacle of the macho alpha male, his chiseled face feeding on his cock, arms stretched up, the black straps of the tank stretched over the flexed trapezius muscles of his neck and chest.

The homoerotic fantasy and the sensation of the Aussie hunk's mouth riding his cock was too much for Jamie and he yelled, "I'm gonna cum ... yeah, drink it, man ... drink that surfer's jizz ..." He felt his sperm draining from his balls and bursting in Adam's mouth. Moaning into the gag of the swollen cock Adam gulped down the bitter sweet juice, then pulled off, held the cock pointing at himself and felt the last of the semen splash on his face.

He looked at Jamie and a dazzling smile spread over his handsome features that streamed with cum. "Damn you are one hot jock, surfer boy. You wanna find out what Aussie-cock tastes like?"

"You bet I do, stud," Jamie laughed and flipped Adam over on his back. He stared down at the square-jawed cum-splashed face, bent down and licked his own jizz off his cheeks and eyes, then kissed his mouth hard.

Adam reached round, ran his hands down Jamie's back and waist, then clamped his hands on the solid globes of his ass rising up from the bottom of the tank. "Man, that ass is primo. Felt awesome shoving my pole between those cheeks on the truck."

Jamie grinned, "Comes from hours on a surfboard, dude, and I loved the feel of you inside it. But right now I've got hunger pains for a mouthful of Aussie cock." As Adam had done he slid down on him until he was facing his long shaft. "Man, you have such a beautiful cock. If it tastes half as good as it looks I'm in for a feast."

"Only one way to find out, mate," Adam said and his laughter turned to a sigh as he watched the blond surfer open his mouth and swallow his cock.

Mark, the twins and Will had been relaxing on the porch of Zack's shack, getting ready for the trek back, when they saw Nate jogging towards them carrying the twins' forgotten back pack. "Hey Nate," Kyle said, "Thanks for bringing that, we were stupid to leave it behind. You shouldn't have gone to all that trouble, though it does have stuff we need in it. Come on Will, let's go in and unpack it and we'll show you where everything goes."

Left alone with Mark on the patio Nate sank into one of the Adirondack chairs. "I'm pooped."

"Yeah," Mark said, "a two-mile jog after all that wave action will do it. How was the surfing?"

"Great, sir. Me and Jamie went to Sydney as you know, which is how we met Adam who was working our flight. We all surfed a whole lot there on Manly Beach, so this was like old times."

"And Jamie and Adam are still out on their boards?"

"Oh no, sir. We thought we should straighten everything up in the shack, which is when I discovered the twins' bag and offered to bring it down here. There was a lot to do, opening up the shack after being closed up for so long. When I left they were sorting through the clothes. By the time we get back they should be finished and they'll have drinks all set up for us."

Nate closed his eyes, turned his face up to the sun and sighed contentedly. But Mark was restless. A cop has a nose for anticipating trouble and all his instincts kicked in now as he imagined Adam and Jamie all alone back there, probably hot and horny after all the surf action. Suddenly Mark stood up and said, "I think I'll head back now, Nate. We more or less walked down here so I'd like a fast jog back."

Nate opened one eye – "OK, sir, we won't be far behind" – and went back to dozing in the sun.

Usually jogging had a calming, meditative effect on Mark, but not this time. His thoughts were churning and the more he pictured Adam and Jamie together the more lurid his imagination became, turning to resentment and even anger.

Mark was second only to Randy in his propensity for sudden anger. It was a common tendency in cops and the force had a whole program to handle it. That's how Mark had first met Dr. Steve, assigned to him for anger management therapy. His anger was sometimes irrational and unwarranted, as it should have been now. Guys in the tribe often paired up and even fucked, though the junior boys usually asked their master's permission.

In the present circumstances there was no reason to object to Adam and Jamie fooling around. They were on vacation, after all, where the rules were looser. But none of these considerations had any calming effect on Mark. Quite the contrary. The more obsessed he became the more his tension built, ready for trouble – which he soon found.

As he approached the shack he was surprised to see no signs of life. Even the door was closed. Like a cop approaching a potentially dangerous situation he walked slowly and silently to the shack. And that's when he heard muffled sounds coming from inside. He went round to the side window and peered through the half-open slatted blinds – and his blood froze. All his worst fears were right there.

Adam was lying on his back on the bed, his arms stretched up grabbing the bedposts ... while Jamie sucked his cock! Somehow it wouldn't have been so bad if they were naked, but they were both wearing tank-tops – Jamie in Adam's white tank and, infinitely worse, Adam in Mark's black ribbed tank, the one he always wore, the one Jamie found so sexy. Mark saw it as an act of sexual intimacy and betrayal and he clenched his jaw.

He didn't move. Like a cop sizing up the situation in a house before bursting in he watched – in growing horror. They had obviously been at it for quite a while because Adam had jizz on his face and Jamie was going down on his cock fast and furious. He heard Adam yell, "Damn, you are a brilliant cock-sucker, mate. Yeah, chow down on that hunk of Aussie beef. Make me shoot, boy ... drink my jizz. Here it comes ... aaagh!"

Adam's superb body bucked, his muscles tensed and he pushed his hips up, forcing his cock deep in Jamie's mouth as it blasted sperm that Jamie gulped down eagerly. Then Jamie did as Adam had done. He pulled back off Adam's cock and held it while the rest of his semen shot full in his face. He laughed jubilantly as the Aussie's juice poured down his face.

Then suddenly, "Freeze." Jamie's head jerked round and he saw Mark in the doorway where Adam had stood, backlit by the sun.

Jamie immediately knew that the fury in Mark's eyes was real. But for Adam this was all just a playful extension of the boy swapping they had done on the journey up. He thought Mark's anger was all part of the game and he grinned, "Busted ... guilty as charged, officer. You better cuff me, drag me to jail and work me over ... please officer," he laughed.

"Damn right I will." Mark went to his bag and pulled out two sets of handcuffs he always carried with him. Quickly, expertly he cuffed one of Adam's wrist to a bedpost, then the other. But still Adam's sense of fun clouded his judgement and blinded him to the reality of Mark's rage. Until he saw Jamie's reaction.

"Sir, please, we were just fooling around, just having fun. Please, sir, it was my fault, don't hurt Adam, sir. Let him go."

Mark's eyes blazed. "Get out of here, boy. Get out of my sight and don't come back!"

Jamie knew better than to disobey Mark in this mood and he stumbled out the door. A stunned Adam stared up at Mark pacing round the bed, a fearful sight, his muscular body clad only in swim trucks. "You're really serious, mate," Adam said incredulously. "Dude, calm down. It was all a bit of fun like Jamie said. No need to lose your cool, buddy. Don't be such a cop."

Adam was inadvertently saying all the wrong things, pressing all the wrong buttons. His anger mounting Mark roared, "I knew you wanted my boy, to steal him away from me. You think you're so fucking hot with that face and that body, the he-man Aussie that everyone lusts after – especially my boy. Look at you in my shirt – stealing my clothes as well as my boy. Think it looks hot on you, eh? Well it'll look even hotter like this ..."

As Adam struggled against his cuffed wrists Mark reached down, grabbed his black tank and ripped it clear off. He twisted it into a rope, shoved it into Adam's mouth and tied it round the back. The tank had become a gag and Adam gave a muffled roar, his eyes burning with rage.

"Your new boyfriend should see you now, asshole. Not the big Aussie he-man anymore, eh, mother fucker? You want sex? You should a' come crawling to me, a real man, instead of messing with a boy. I watched you fuck my boy's ass earlier, stud, and you just made him suck your dick. Real top man, ain't you? Well not anymore, big guy. You met your match."

Mark took off his trunks and Adam watched his huge cock spring out, hard as steel. Adam's muscular body writhed on the bed but he knew he was at Mark's mercy. The cop knelt on the bed, pushed Adam's legs up and, in one savage move plunged his dry cock deep in the Aussie's ass. Adam screamed into his gag but that only spurred Mark on to fiercer effort.

The fuck was brutal but mercifully brief. Mark was not in this for pleasure – this was all about anger and revenge, a need to show the man who was the real boss. His rage was the rage of a cop who had been defied, something a man never got away with, no matter how tough and dominant he was.

Mark's cock was a piston driving into the bound man's ass. Adam's head thrashed from side to side, he screamed muffled curses into his gag and braced against the searing pain in his ass. "You're nothing, man," Mark taunted, ramrodding his ass. "Feel that? That's a real man's cock, a real man who don't have to go sniffing around another man's boy to get his rocks off."

The Aussie yelled incomprehensible obscenities through his gag and Mark looked at him with contempt. "Ah, you're not worth any more of my time, asshole. I'll just finish you off and leave you here to let your buddies find you broken and humiliated. Here it comes, big guy." The rage of both men reached a pitch as Adam screamed into his gag, Mark pounded his ass and howled with rage as his cock pumped semen into his captive's ravaged ass.

As the twins approached the shack with Nate and Will they saw a distraught Jamie stumbling toward them. "Jamie ..." Kevin said, but he was almost incoherent. "Maniac ... we weren't doing anything, just having fun. He's a fucking maniac."

"Who, Jamie?" Kyle said calmly. "Who are you talking about?"

"Mark. He saw me sucking Adam's dick and went apeshit, cuffed Adam to the bed and he's working him over. He went crazy – I never wanna see him again. We can't be buddies anymore, Nate. It's all so ... fucked up." He stumbled on into the dunes and Kyle said, "Let him go – we gotta get in there."

All four ran into the shack to see a naked Mark pacing round the bed, clenching and unclenching his fists, his body heaving, his cock dripping cum.

Handcuffed to the bed, his arms stretched up, mouth gagged, was Adam, his face fallen to one side, his body still shuddering. "He's all yours, guys," Mark growled, "fucking asshole. The keys are in my bag if you wanna release him so he can go and find his new boyfriend. They deserve each other," he snarled, then strode out of the shack.

Nate and the twins ran anxiously to the bed. Kyle searched in Mark's bag while Kevin untied the gag and said, "Adam, can you hear me? Are you OK?"

"The guy's a fucking psycho," were Adam's first words. "Yeah, I'm OK. Sore ass that's on fire, chafed wrists and a bruised ego but that's about all." Kyle found the key, unlocked the cuffs and Adam rubbed his wrists.

"One thing's for damn sure, I never wanna see that bloke again. I thought we were buddies but that's totally kaput. We were just fooling around, Jamie and me. After what happened at the truck when we swapped boys I thought ... ah, guess I read the guy's signals wrong, except he never gives signals, just does that strong silent cop act. Nate, old mate, if you wanna leave me I'll understand. Seems like everything's completely fucked now – it's all over. So much for a fun day at the beach."

The twins, practical as ever, busily took care of Adam while a stunned Nate poured drinks that they all needed. All except Will who stood in a corner watching the activity – shocked, confused, and scared. He had seen a lot in the tribe, some of it real wild, but he had never seen things collapse in anger as suddenly as this, where everything was turned upside down.

He couldn't watch anymore so he went out on the porch to think. He had to understand this, to get clear in his mind all the ways men behave, the things they do, so he would never be caught off guard again. He looked along the beach and saw Mark all alone in the distance, sitting on an outcropping or rocks jutting into the water. He had to understand what happened here. Maybe Mark could tell him.

After his savage `punishment' of Adam Mark's anger was starting to cool into something more like moroseness. He still resented the hell out of Adam and Jamie but a feeling was creeping in that his rage had pushed him a bit over the top. Then he noticed Will walking purposefully toward him. Damn, last thing he wanted – a kid who knew nothing about anything.

"What you doing here, kid?" he said as Will approached. "This has nothing to do with you."

Will nervously stood his ground. "Please don't send me away, sir. I need to ask you some questions."

"Kid, I don't need help from you or anyone right now."

"Oh I wasn't going to offer you help, sir. I was going to ask for it. Please, sir."

Taken slightly aback Mark looked at the freckle faced kid standing there nervously in his too-big board shorts that came down to his calves. Mark's steely heart melted – what a sweet, sweet kid he was, and what an antidote to all the rage and violence. Mark managed a smile. "OK, kid, climb aboard." He pulled him up and Will sat on a rock facing him.

"Fire away, kid. Why did you come over here to see me?"

"Because I'm scared, sir."

"Scared? Not of me, I hope."

"Oh no, sir, not of you. You helped us out when my dad attacked me and Randy beat him up. Randy might have gone to jail if you hadn't showed up."

"So, if not me, what are you scared of?"

Will frowned, gathering his thoughts. "Of the future, I guess. See, sir, it's like this. Before I met the twins I was running away from my dad, living in my old car at first and then on my own in a small apartment. My life all alone was what you call, er ... precarious, that's it.

"Then everything changed. The twins took me on as their boy and they love me, and I've got Norman now too. Then there's Bob who's so smart and gorgeous – well you know that, sir. And Randy who's the toughest fighter in the world and protects me, like he did against my dad. It's like a little family, like I never had before, and everyone loves everyone ... and I feel safe for the first time in my life."

"Sounds perfect. So what's the problem, and where do I come in?"

"Well, sir, I have such a wonderful life but I'm scared that it could all go away, pouf, all of a sudden. I just saw that happen to you, sir. See, I've seen lots of groups, little families, in the tribe and they all look so happy. And yours, with Jamie and the Aussies, was one of the best.

"I mean, you and Jamie ... well everyone knows how crazy you are about each other. And Adam and Nate, they totally love each other and are always together. Jamie and Nate have been friends for years, the twins told me, big surfing buddies. And you and Adam too, sir, best buddies ... you seem like ... kinda like you fit together."

Will blushed. "I'll tell you a secret, sir. One time I saw you together and I jerked off imagining how you looked making love to each other. Do you guys make love, sir?"

"Well," Mark said, taken off guard by the blunt question, "We have ... we used to, but ..."

"So there you are, sir."

"There we are where, kiddo? I'm not following you."

"Well, like two loving families, yours and mine, and suddenly one blows up into bits and it's all gone. You and Adam never want to see each other again. Jamie's run away from you, and him and Nate can't be friends anymore. See, I need to understand how that happened, `cos I'm scared it could happen to the twins and me and I'd be back to square one. If you can explain to me what went wrong, maybe I can try and stop it from happening to us. Can you help me, sir?"

Mark was at a loss for words. "Will, I ... I guess it's real complicated – hard to explain."

"Well it used to be real simple, sir. You were four guys who loved each other – simple as that. Like I said to the twins, when everyone loves everyone that should be that. Yeah, we did talk about it before, the twins and me. They told me there was trouble brewing with you and Adam. Seems all the other guys could see it too.

"Well that's where I need your advice, sir. See if everyone could see it coming, and you must have too, why couldn't you just, sort of, head it off at the pass, talk about it and stop it from blowing up like it did? That should be easy if everyone loves each other.

"I mean, I talk to the twins all the time. But I'm not sure what to look for. Fr'instance, sir, if Randy and Bob had a big fight our family might split up, and I have to stop that. I would make them talk about it until everything was sorted out. But I'm scared of missing something before it's too late. So please tell me what you missed, sir. I know you loved Jamie and Adam and Nate ... maybe deep down you still do ... but now it's too late, it's all gone ... and ... and I'm scared it'll happen to us one day too, sir."

Will choked and tears began running down his face. "I'm scared of being alone again, sir, like Jamie will be now. I wouldn't know what to do. Do you have any advice, sir?"

Mark stared at the young redhead with his freckled face and too-long shorts, and his distress broke his heart. He pulled the boy toward him and cradled him in his arms. "Hey, hey, kiddo, nothing like that is gonna happen to you, I promise. Randy, Bob and the twins would never let it. They're too loving and smart for that and Randy has sworn to protect you.

"But apparently I failed at all three – not loving enough or smart enough, and I didn't protect my guys." Mark pulled back and looked into Will's eyes. "What I'm saying, Will, is I fucked up – big time. I said I didn't need your help but it seems I did. So thank you, kid. Now I got work to do ... will you come and help me in case I fuck up again?"

Will nodded, a trifle confused. "Thanks, kiddo. Now let me dry those tears of yours and we'll go and face the world together."

At the shack the twins were on the patio, shading their eyes looking for will. And in the distance they saw Mark and Will walking toward them hand in hand.

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 433

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

ALSO, I invite you to visit my own Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You can read the whole story, with extras including pictures and biographies of all the characters.

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