A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH – PART 539 by Rob Williams

Chapter 539 – "BAD BOY FLINN"

IN THIS CHAPTER

Two alpha males – the tough Aussie Adam, and the Marine captain Hassan – give in to their lust and one top-man surrenders his ass to the other. Then the rugged Hispanic Miguel takes his boy Finn on a weekend break. The insecure ex-hustler, intimidated by the luxury hotel, lashes out and grossly insults their young friend Brandon. Seething, Miguel punishes bad-boy Finn in a novel, devastating way.

<><> IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER <><>

The three alpha males were at last sorting out their convoluted relationship.

The handsome blond doctor, Chad, had once insisted on monogamy in his love affair with the Aussie Adam. But both had been unfaithful with other men – Chad with the dusky Marine Hassan, and Adam, with an ex-lover in Sydney.

All three paid a price. Adam physically punished Hassan and forced Chad to watch. And Adam eventually submitted to a degrading spit-roast by the other two.

The three men had gone to a place the tribe knew well – a remote beach shack in the Guadalupe Dunes – to sort out their tangled relationships. And when they invited their boys to join them – Nate, Eddie and Will – Chad watched the enthusiastic greeting at the train station and had a revelation. That love did not depend on monogamous domestic bliss, but could take many different and more inclusive forms.

It seemed that peace would reign between them, but they could not foresee the sudden drama when Nate, out surfing, was thrown off his board and rendered unconscious. Chad and Adam were away jogging but Hassan sprang into action. With a Herculean effort he towed Nate along in a rip current, pulled him ashore and administered CPR and the kiss of life.

When Nate recovered Hassan was a hero. Doc Chad took over and cared for Nate, and Adam bent down and kissed his boy. "You're in good hands, mate. You've got a doc and a Marine to protect you, and a big ol' Aussie who's loved you for years, kiddo."

"Thank you sir," Nate smiled. "I love you too ... and Chad ... and Hassan too. Er, will you go and thank Hassan for me, sir? I think he saved my life."

Chad said, "And thank him for me, Adam. Thank him in whatever way you like. Understand?"

"You mean that, mate? You don't mind if ..."

"I don't mind anything, Adam. Hassan is not only one of us, he saved our boy. Now go and thank him for us both."

Hassan was walking unsteadily toward the shack. Adam caught up with him and they stopped and gazed into each other's eyes. "You OK, solider?" Adam asked.

"Sure I am. We Marines are a tough bunch."

"Dude," Adam said, eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know how I can ever thank you ..." The full horror of what could have happened caught up with him and he threw his arms round Hassan and sobbed into his shoulder. "When I think how close we came to losing him ... "

"But we didn't, did we, Adam? He's safe and the family is intact – stronger than ever I would say, buddy, wouldn't you?"

As they walked on Hassan said, "By the way, bro, with everything that's happened lately I don't think I've ever told you what I think of you. I never told you that I've always quietly lusted for you, you're such a hot fucking dude – that tough Aussie thing you got going and all. When you come into a room I always get a hard-on. `Course, I could never do anything because you and Chad were so into each other ... until I fucked everything up by ..."

"Hassan, that is all water under the bridge. Everything's changed since then, mate – Chad has changed, I've changed and, hell man, you're a fucking hero – you saved our boy and brought him back to us. I've gotta give you something back in return. Just name it, dude."

Hassan smiled a weary smile. "Well, maybe there is. Chad said I need to rest and he's right. I was gonna crawl into that tent all alone and ... well, maybe not all alone now, eh?"

Adam grinned, "You got it, soldier - anything you want." They plodded up the dunes to the tent that Hassan had slept in the previous night. He pulled the tent flap back and smiled. "Mi casa es tu casa, amigo." Adam crawled in, followed by Hassan and they zipped the flap shut.

Later, while Eddie and Will pampered Nate recovering in bed, Chad called the tribe's co-leader, Bob, with a progress report. Bob was alarmed by the story of the rescue but Chad reassured him that all was well – "better than ever in fact".

To lighten the mood they turned to news of the tribe. Among various pieces of trivia Bob mentioned another planned out-of-town trip by other men of the tribe, arranged by the hunky Hispanic Miguel. "You know, Miguel is not only the executive chef of the Ritz Carlton in L.A., he has an advisory role in their other properties.

"He's gonna spend a weekend at the Ritz down the coast in Laguna Niguel, sorting out the kitchen's problems. As they include accounting issues, Miguel wants to take our young office manager Brandon with him to give an impartial non-employee assessment. As Brandon is Ranger Pete's boy Miguel has offered them both a weekend down there, living it up, all expenses paid. Miguel plans to take his boy Finn with them too."

"Wow, quite a foursome," Chad chuckled. "The Hispanic hunk and his bad boy Finn, and the handsome Forest Ranger and that sweet boy Brandon. Wanna make any predictions, Bob?"

"Nah, I'll wait until the reports come in. By the way, where are Adam and Hassan right now?"

"Still in the tent in the dunes, Bob. And it's still zipped up."

"And, er, you're OK with that, Chad?"

"Ah, that's the best part of the whole thing, Bob. They're probably fucking their brains out right now and I love it. I couldn't be happier. Quite a turn around, wouldn't you say?"

========= CHAPTER 539 =========

<><> TWO MEN IN A TENT <><>

Doc Chad was right that Adam and Hassan were still happily in the tent together, but he was wrong on the specifics – the Aussie and the Marine were not `fucking their brains out' as Chad had speculated to Bob.

When they had crawled into the tent together Nate's near fatal accident was starkly fresh in their minds. Adam was still shaken by the thought of what the result could have been, were it not for Hassan's rescue. It was a feat that could only be carried out by a man as strong and resolute as Hassan. To the Marine captain it was all in a day's work, and his only after-effect was fatigue.

Because of Adam's mental turmoil and Hassan's physical exhaustion, sex was not on their immediate agenda, even though they had both recently acknowledged their sexual lust for each other, and they were now lying together naked on the blanket, having removed their wet shorts.

Adam said in his Australian drawl, "I s'pose you need your sleep right away, eh mate?"

"I'm tired, buddy, but I couldn't sleep yet – the adrenaline is still pumping." He paused. "Besides, I think we got stuff to say the each other, dude."

"Yeah, mate, I guess we do." Adam was surprised by the soldier's comment. Hassan was known in the tribe for being the strong silent type, even brooding sometimes, not given to the outspoken banter typical of other men in the tribe. As a Marine captain he spent his days barking orders to new Marine recruits and when he got home he tended to withdraw with his boy Eddie, enjoying the other men's company in silence.

Hassan was actually a little embarrassed when Adam launched into another paean of praise and thanks for saving the life of his and Chad's boy Nate. "Ah, I've been in tougher spots, man, like in the Arab war. What kept me going this time was the thought of you and Chad. You two and Nate are such a close family I couldn't let you lose your boy. You're really crazy in love with Chad aren't you Adam?"

"Too right, mate. At first I guess it was mostly physical lust – I mean the guy's a fucking Greek god. But then we set up the home that Chad longed for – wisteria over the door, the couch by the fire, the dog on the hearth rug – and the longer we lived together the deeper our love got. There are so many levels in there, Hassan. Chad's new to man-on-man love – he hasn't had the sexual experience most of us guys in the tribe have – so I feel protective of him."

"Sure, I can see that. He's a skilled surgeon but a vulnerable man. When I was carrying Nate through that current I kept flashing on Chad and knew I had to shield him from pain."

"Yeah, that's it, mate. I'll tell you when it hit home real hard for me. At Chad's hospital one day they brought in a guy who had been shot up real bad in a gang-related street fight. His chances of survival were minimal, but Chad performed emergency surgery on him that went on for hours.

Chad told me about it later – a scrawny teenager living in poverty with everything stacked against him. He didn't have a chance to make anything of himself in life, and now he had little chance of life itself. Chad felt a deep sympathy for the kid and, against all the odds, he worked for hours trying to save him, using every surgical skill he had.

"But the kid didn't make it, and when they pronounced time of death Chad folded into himself. He came home looking hollowed eyed and defeated. He stared at me, like into my soul, and fell into my arms. He held on so tight I thought he would crush me – like crushing the world that had been so cruel to the kid. I put him to bed and slept with him, holding him tight in my arms.

"When at last he woke he looked at me and said simply, `Thank you, Adam. I needed you so bad.' For the rest of the day I could see that he was replaying the operation over and over in his mind, wondering what he could have done differently to save the kid.

"Later Nate came bouncing in after his exciting day at the beach with Jamie and the film crew. Chad hugged him and kissed him voraciously. Then we all went to bed together and Chad and I took turns fucking Nate. It was sort of a reaffirmation of our love, and even of life – the certainty that whatever happens, good or bad, life itself goes on. And the next day Chad went to work as confident as ever."

There was a long silence in the tent, then Hassan said softly, "And I almost fucked all that up."

"No, you mustn't think of it like that, mate. Intensity like I described can't possibly last forever, there has to be a safety valve. And that's what you provided, and still do. We need you, Hassan. You're good for us ... real good."

"Funny," Hassan grinned, "I'm usually so sure of myself – the big macho captain barking orders, idolized by the rookies as they try to act tough. But in the last few days I've been out of my depth. See, I've never felt the need for the love of another alpha male like you two have. My joy comes from that boy of mine, Eddie.

"When I get home after a tough day – and there are a lot of those – and I see my boy Eddie waiting for me, his eyes sparkling and that crooked grin on his face, I know I'm home. Damn I love that kid. The last thing I need is more guys like those recruits brimming with testosterone and trying so hard to be macho. Eddie is the perfect antidote – his liveliness, honesty and sense of fun.

"Even when I'm tired and he goes rattling off at the mouth as he does, it's like background music. I can half tune him out – I throw in an occasional really', uh-huh', `you don't say' – and we're both as happy as pigs in shit. I love that kid so much."

"Do you tell him so, mate?"

"No, not in so many words. I should, though, it's important. Yeah, I'll tell him more often."

"I'm sure he knows it, buddy, from the way you treat him – and the smile on that handsome mug of yours when you see him. But tell me something, soldier. You are obviously one big alpha stud, the one who gives orders, and the top man whenever you fuck. You don't live with a guy who's your equal, like Randy and Bob do, or Zack and Miguel, who can switch roles. Don't you ever wanna do that? Switch roles, I mean, offer your ass to a guy?"

"I don't mean getting fucked as a punishment like we did, or like Randy did to you after a fight – I mean doing it for love. When you and Chad first got together he sucked your cock and then, instead of him fucking you, you flipped him over and hammered his ass. Don't you ever see a top guy and think, yeah, I'd like to feel that guy's dick up my ass?"

"Sure I do, but not often," Hassan said. "See, it's not just a physical thing. A guy ain't a top just `cos he's got muscles and a big dick. It has to be bred in the bone, in his body language, his attitude, even the tone of voice."

Hassan chuckled. "Dude, when we were walking along the beach just now maybe I didn't make myself clear. I told you I've always quietly lusted for you, such a stud with that tough Aussie thing you got going and all – the confidence, the bearing, that deep Aussie drawl. Even the way you protect your man Chad – especially that. Dude, you are every inch a top man. That's what turns me on – it's why I get a hard-on whenever you walk into a room."

"You mean ... you want me to ..."

"Jeez man, do I have to draw you a picture? I get a boner just thinking of your rod in my ass."

<><> THE SOLDIER SURRENDERS <><>

That's all it took for the two men to get erections – both rugged top men, one of them craving the other's cock.

Adam grinned, "OK, let's cast our minds back to Chad massaging you. Lust reared its head and you both threw inhibitions out the window. How did it go? Something like this?"

Hassan was lying on his back and Adam knelt over him, straddling his waist. "Chad massaged your stomach, saying something like he had to treat the whole core – as back, waist and abs were all connected." Adam reached down and pressed his fingers hard into the grooves of the soldier's eight-pack abs, to the sound of a deep groan from Hassan.

Adam said, "What then, did he sit back and let your cock touch his ass? And that's what set you both off? And when Chad looked down at the dark, chiseled Arab face, his resistance crumbled – he bent down and swallowed that huge cock down his throat." Adam chuckled, "So that's how it went. But with us, captain, there's a slight variation."

Adam leaned far forward, grabbed Hassan's wrists, stretched his arms up and pinned them to the bed. The Aussie's long thick cock pointed straight down toward his mouth. "Eat this, soldier." In a sign of submission Hassan opened his mouth and Adam drove his shaft in deep. Hassan didn't gag, even when Adam's cock pistoned in and out of his mouth. "Damn, you're tough," Adam drawled.

The sight of his own cock pounding the macho captain's swarthy face almost made Adam shoot a load down his throat. So, on the cusp of orgasm, he pulled out and flipped the Marine over on his stomach, making it clear which of them was in charge now. Roles of top and bottom had been defined, and the muscular captain was at the mercy of the dominant Aussie.

Kneeling between Hassan's splayed legs Adam gazed down at the mounds of his ass and slapped them a few times. Then he bent down and buried his face between them, licking hungrily, feasting on the warm, moist ass, tasting the sea-salt that still clung to it. Hassan's ecstatic groans grew louder and Adam knew he was close to his climax.

"So he pulled his face back, flipped Hassan over on his back again and stared down at him. The Marine's expression had changed from his customary square-jawed defiance to a rare look of submission, and Adam said in his deep, commanding Aussie drawl. "What do you want, solder? Let me hear it."

"I wanna feel your dick in my ass, stud. Dammit, I wanna get fucked. Please, man, you look so fucking hot ... fuck my ass ... I want it so bad."

"You got it soldier." In one swift move Adam shoved Hassan's legs back and drove his cock in the spit-slick ass so it slammed into the inner depths, then pulled back and drove in again. His cock became a jack-hammer, drilling the captain's hot ass. Adam's power surged at the sight of the dark, sculpted Arab features contorted in a mix of pain and pleasure, the muscles of his naked body writhing and flexing under the attack on his ass.

"Fuck, that feels so fucking hot, man" Hassan groaned. He reached up and ran his hands over Adam ripped abs and heaving chest, and dug his finger in his pecs. The pain only drove Adam to intensify the fuck and his iron shaft ramrodded the soldier's ass even deeper.

It was a pornographic fantasy – two alpha males staring defiantly into each other's eyes, one pounding ass, the other begging for more. Their muscles rippled and bulged as the onslaught intensified and it was only a matter of time before their passion exploded.

Hassan reached down and stroked his cock. "I'm real close, man. Cum in my ass."

"You're not giving the orders now captain. I wanna hear the tough Marine beg for mercy."

The deep gravelly voice groaned, "Fuck you man ... OK, OK ... I give up. You've beaten me. My ass is on fire. Come inside me, please ... please, sir. I submit ... you win. Please, I'm begging you ... Aaagh ..."

Adam stared in disbelief at the homoerotic sight of the rugged Marine captain admitting defeat, begging for mercy ... and then, in a sign of abject surrender, shooting streams of semen over the dark olive flesh of his tortured, muscled body.

With one last savage plunge Adam blasted his load deep inside the shuddering ass of the broken solider, his swarthy face thrashing from side to side in the agony and ecstasy of defeat.

Exhausted Adam fell forward into Hassan's arms and they lay together in silence until their heaving breathing subsided. When at last Adam pulled back, both their bodies were smothered in cum and Hassan said, "Man, that was something else. There's not many men I would submit to like that. But you, stud, you were incredible. I just wish Chad had been here to see it."

"Too right, mate, but we can still go and show him the results. Let's go."

They left the tent and walked buck naked over the dune to the shack. Nate was still in bed, with Chad, Eddie and Will sitting at his bedside. The door opened and in walked the naked, cum-splashed Aussie and Marine. Adam threw his arm over Hassan's shoulder and they grinned down at the stunned men.

Chad burst out laughing. "What do you think, Eddie? You think that qualifies as pornographic?"

"Duh! Better that any porn I ever saw." He raised his ever-present camera and got the erotic image on video, then lowered the camera. Sir, you can't let a scene like that go to waste. Is it OK if I jerk off looking at them?"

"That goes for me too, Nate grinned. "Me too," Will said."

"OK, so we're all in kids. Nate, get off the bed and let them lie down."

Adam and Hassan replaced Nate on the bed, lying naked next to each other, their arms bent, hands laced behind their head. Chad and the three boys gathered round and Chad said, "Don't move guys, this won't take long."

And it didn't. The sight of the two naked cum-streaked musclehunks was what Eddie called a `total masturbatory image'. They pulled out their cocks and within seconds the men were deluged with streams of jizz pouring down on their already cum-soaked bodies.

Chad threw himself down on the bed between Adam and Hassan and Eddie raised his camera again. "Smile guys, you're on camera," he said at the three handsome faces looking up at him. "`Cos this is the big finish. After one helluva long action-packed story, this is definitely a wrap."

<><> SETTING THE NEXT SCENE <><>

And so it was. The wheel had come full circle – from a "monogamous" couple threatened by the sexy Marine, to an acceptance of an even more loving relationship where they welcomed the soldier in as a permanent friend.

All tension had vanished and it was time to enjoy the rest of the long weekend. Now they faced the most basic of human needs – hunger. Quickly Will and Eddie rustled up lunch and soon they were sprawled on the porch replenishing their stomachs and their social needs – which usually meant gossip. Now that they were not looking inward at their own issues, they concentrated on Bob's news of the tribe.

They were especially intrigued by the news that there was to be another excursion out of town, with an unusual coupling. The hunky Hispanic and his boy Finn were going away with Ranger Pete and his boy Brandon for a luxurious weekend at the Ritz Carlton down the coast at Laguna Niguel. As usual, motor-mouth Eddie led the discussion.

"Dudes, there is a major difference between this ol' beach shack and the swanky Ritz Carlton. I mean look at us, practically naked – we wouldn't get within spitting distance of that place. You know the old rule – `no shirt, no shoes, no service." But personally I always say it don't matter where you are as much as who you're with. And I'll take present company anytime."

"You better say that, kid," Hassan grinned, giving his boy a noogie – rubbing his knuckle on his head. "But I don't think those guys will have any problem with a few days luxury. After all, Miguel is a big noise in that hotel. He's the executive chef at the downtown L.A. Ritz and a management consultant at the other hotels' kitchens. His party will be treated like royalty."

"I agree," Chad said. "What I love is that Miguel asked Brandon to help him sort out the accounting problems that kitchen is having. Just shows you how respected Brandon is in the tribe, how he's risen above just being a boy in a wheelchair. Pete must be real proud of him."

"Too right, mate," Adam said. "But you couldn't find two couples more different – on one side the dominant Hispanic lover of boss Zack, and his tough ex-hustler boy Finn. And on the other, the tall handsome Forest Ranger, who works in nature, and his sweet-tempered kid Brandon."

"I've heard that Finn can be a real handful, very unpredictable," Chad said. "How did Miguel ever choose him as his boy?"

"Oh I know that," Eddie said eagerly. "It's one of the great stories of the tribe. [Chapter 405] Miguel, Zack and Darius are into leather as you know, and they went to one of those leather gatherings in a warehouse where there was a kind of slave auction. Miguel had been wanting a boy of his own but said he wanted a challenge. And he sure got it in Finn. Miguel saw the good-looking scruffy young guy chained to a wall being auctioned off by his grungy `owner' as they called it."

"Sounds like exactly the kind of challenge Miguel was looking for," Will said.

"Right first time, Will. So Miguel `bought' him. but Finn resented being anyone's boy. He was a really tough street hustler – with that defiance they need to survive on the streets – and he acted real mean with Miguel.

"Miguel put up with it for a while to see how far the kid would go, but when he'd had enough he tied Finn up and fucked him like an animal till he begged for mercy. That tamed him good. I mean, face it, the man is a total god – who wouldn't want to be his boy, tied and fucked by him?"

Will said, "But they seem to be a real close couple now – they have a kind of understanding."

"Sure they are," Eddie said, "though Finn still kicks up rough sometimes – I think he wants to be tamed by Miguel over and over, though he'd never admit it. It's what I always say, dudes – you can take the boy off the streets but you can't take the streets out of the boy. Reason why I'd like to be a fly on the wall down there is to see how a rebellious, rough-and-ready guy like Finn deals with a luxury hotel."

"Lot of rich guys staying there," Nate smiled. "Maybe he'll revert to type and try to turn a few tricks."

"Huh, I'd like to see that," Eddie huffed. "Be like peeing on Miguel's own turf – but the stud would sure come up with a way of dealing with that kinda stuff. Almost makes you wanna follow them down there, eh guys?"

Adam laughed. "Don't get carried away, kiddo. Me, I'll settle for a shack, a beach, a gorgeous doc, musclehunk Marine and three terrific boys."

"Me too," Chad said. "I ain't going anywhere. But Eddie, you've sure given us the back story and set the scene for us. And while we're lazing in the sun we can fantasize about what`s really going on down there." He chuckled. "We should take bets – winner gets group-fucked."

<><> TWO DIFFERENT COUPLES <><>

Actually the drive down to Laguna from L.A. was peaceful and fairly quiet. The foursome was in Miguel's Lexus SUV with Miguel at the wheel and Finn in the front seat next to him. Pete and Brandon were snuggled happily together in the back seat.

Placing himself next to Miguel was one of the small ways Finn unwittingly revealed his pride at being Miguel's boy. Miguel knew how proud Finn was of that – there were so many minor indications – though Finn would never have expressed it verbally. Paradoxically, that same pride would never let him admit it. Mixed in with his pride was the defiance and independence left over from his hustler days.

It was contradictions like this that Miguel found challenging – and which made him love the boy even more. He knew that, at his core, Finn was insecure, damaged by his former life on the streets that had left him with a low opinion of himself. `Nothing but a cheap hustler' Finn branded himself, and he masked his insecurity with arrogance – the same kind of arrogance he put on when he had worked the streets, with the same conceited strut of many hustlers, even though they were scared inside.

But Miguel knew another side of his boy too. In their intimate moments Finn had talked of his hustler days and mentioned how he had looked after the younger guys, the inexperienced kids fresh off the bus. He had advised and protected them and fought off many an unsavory character who preyed on the younger boys.

Miguel had never taken Finn to the Ritz, mostly because he would be working all the time, leaving Finn on his own. He knew that Finn, with all his insecurities rooted in his past, would be out of his depth in the opulence of a luxury hotel. And it was when he felt insecure that he would act impulsively to show how tough he was and disdainful of people `acting posh'.

But when Miguel hit on the idea of asking Brandon to come down and help him with the kitchen accounting mess, everything fell into place. Brandon liked Finn and understood him – his insecurities, his need to act tough – and Miguel felt the calm, intelligent boy would be a good influence on him. It was only natural that Miguel would invite Brandon's man Pete too.

The couple in the back seat was far less complicated. There was pride going on here too, but it was simply the pride of a self-assured, virile man for his boy. From his days living alone, exerting his independence despite his life in a wheelchair, Brandon had risen to his current prestigious position as office manager for the construction company and the tribe.

Years earlier it had been Eddie who had discovered Brandon one day laboring up the hill in his wheelchair loaded with groceries. Eddie had befriended him and arranged for other men of the tribe to go help him in his little apartment one by one.

Brandon loved to tell Pete the story [Chapter 222] of how Randy came to install pull-down shelves; Zack came next to install two air conditioners; the fireman Jason dropped by with smoke alarms and fire extinguishers; and the cop Mark came last to install security features like low peepholes in the front door so Brandon could see out from the level of his wheelchair. The story always reminded Pete what a great bunch of guys the men of the tribe were, helping a boy they had never met.

Then Brandon joined the tribe and became Pete's boy, the quietest, most peaceful couple in the whole group. Which is why they now nestled comfortably in the back seat, looking forward to a rare break from work. Miguel welcomed their quietly confident presence that he hoped might be a check on the mercurial Finn.

As Miguel swung off the freeway onto Crown Valley Parkway toward Laguna Niguel, he said, "Nearly there, guys. When we arrive I'll have to go straight to the kitchen and pay my respects to the head chef there. I don't want him to think I'm the boss coming to check up on him – even though I am in a way. You guys should go straight to reception. I've pre-checked you into one of their best suites so you just have to pick up the key card.

"I'm afraid that I'll have to spend much of my time today with the kitchen staff trying to assess the cause and extent of their problems. I suggest you have lunch on the terrace overlooking the pool, then enjoy the pool itself. Pete, for the meals and any other expenses you just have to sign the tabs `cos everything is already taken care of. Don't hold back – I want you guys to have fun without worrying about the cost. For me, most everything is comped – on the house.

"Then from tomorrow on I'll be all yours, guys, I can't wait. One thing though, I'd like to spend some time with you Brandon going over the kitchen accounts to show you what I've discovered and see if there's any way we can streamline things there. I know you've done a whole lot of that for the tribe's construction company, with the help of your computer genius Ryan."

Pete started to thank Miguel again for his generosity but Miguel cut him off. "Dude, I should be thanking you. It means a lot to me and Finn to have your company. The reason I never brought Finn before is `cos he would have been on his own so much while I worked.

"So everyone, eat up, drink up and have fun. That's an order," Miguel chuckled, a gleaming smile lighting up his handsome face, with its chiseled Hispanic features, heavily-stubbled square jaw, thick black hair and seductive dark eyes.

Pete grinned at Brandon. Yeah, they were gonna have a grand time.

When they arrived at the hotel's grand entrance the valet parker greeted Miguel with an enthusiastic smile. He had been very popular when he was the head chef here, which was obvious from the smiles and greetings he got from all the staff. Before he left them Miguel pulled Pete aside.

"Pete, I'd be real grateful if you would keep an eye on Finn for me while I'm working. I know he'll be real insecure in surroundings like these. He's never quite shaken off the effects of his life before I met him, and insecurity makes him a bit unpredictable. Just let me know if you have any problems, eh buddy?"

Pete reassured him that everything would be fine, Miguel headed for the kitchens and Pete and the boys to the reception desk at the start of their pampered weekend.

<><> THE DARK ART OF SEDUCTION <><>

They were greeted effusively by the reception clerk who knew they were Miguel's guests. Pete, tall and good-looking, commanded respect in his own right, and the bellboy went out of his way to help Brandon. That was the extra attention he got everywhere and always disliked it. He never wanted to be treated differently from anyone else just because he was in a wheelchair, though he knew people were just being kind.

When the bellboy offered to push his wheelchair Brandon politely declined. "No thanks, I can manage," (a phrase he used many times a day). "Matter of fact I'll take our bag, it'll be easier for me to carry it than you."

He put the bag nimbly on his wheelchair's tray table and propelled himself toward the elevators, so fast the others had trouble keeping up. Pete grinned at the bellboy and shrugged. Just another example of Brandon demonstrating his independence – proving he could do whatever other guys could – and then some.

Pete noticed the dark frown on Finn's face. All the staff's attention had focused on Pete and on Brandon, and in his paranoia Finn once again felt the frustration of being left out, overlooked as second-rate, as he had been so often in the past – or so he thought.

When the bellboy showed them into their opulent suite they all looked round in awe. He showed them the two bedrooms, the large balcony off the main living room overlooking the ocean from the clifftop, and all the other fancy features. "And the hotel prides itself on being completely accessible, sir," he smiled at Brandon, another unwanted reminder of the wheelchair.

As the bellboy left, Pete offered him a tip but the young man said, "Oh no, sir. Thank you but it's not necessary. You are guests of the hotel, sir."

After he left Pete said, "I never realized just how important Miguel is around here – or how popular. Damn this place is gorgeous. OK Finn, choose what bedroom you and Miguel want."

"Er, maybe Brandon should choose, sir, depending on which shower is most accessible."

Pete was surprised by this sudden display of concern for Brandon, especially after glimpsing the boy's sour mood at reception. It reminded him of something Miguel had said, that when he was on the streets he always helped and protected the younger inexperienced boys. He realized again was a complex young man Finn was. Pete was about to find out just how complex.

"Thanks for offering, Finn, but I noticed that both showers are walk-in so either room is good for us." They chose their rooms and Pete said, "So what do you think, boys? Pool first, or lunch?"

Brandon smiled at Finn and they said in unison, "Lunch."

A short while later they were seated at a table on the expansive terrace dining area overlooking the pool, with the ocean in the distance. Pete and Brandon, self-assured as ever, felt at home in the opulent surroundings and took all the staff's lavish attention in stride. Finn, however, was clearly uncomfortable, mumbling his thanks with a scowl.

When the waiter took their orders, he said, "Welcome, gentlemen," but first addressed the handsome square-jawed Pete, then Brandon to make sure he was comfortable, and lastly Finn, making the paranoid boy feel like an afterthought. And as the meal progressed Brandon noticed with alarm a subtle but unmistakable sign that Finn was reverting to his old instincts.

The one area Finn had always excelled in was his talent for attracting and seducing men. When a john had taken him out to a party or restaurant his eyes had always wandered to find a likely target, and on occasion he had actually left the man who brought him and gone off with another guy, had sex with him and made even more money."

That was the arena he felt comfortable in, and now, by force of habit he looked round to alight on someone who was susceptible to his charms. It wasn't hard. He soon fixed on two older gentlemen lunching together. He smiled at them, a seductive lascivious smile that could only mean one thing, and they smiled back.

In his old life he would have got up to go to the restroom and brushed against them, making sure their eyes were focused on his swaying ass. One guy would have followed him and stood at a urinal next to him to pee – and the deal was made.

"The difference now was that Pete was not a trick he could just abandon. And in truth he didn't want to. He had no real interest in the two men, except to prove to himself that he could still seduce, which boosted his deflated ego.

And – here it got even more complicated – he was playing the game he played with Miguel, showing Miguel he could be independent from him and attractive to others. He was implying that he didn't need Miguel – except of course that he did. He was deeply in love with him, which in itself often scared him, something he regarded as a weakness, a dent in his armor of independence.

Brandon had nudged Pete and they both realized what was going on, at least some of it. The deeper complexities they couldn't guess at – only Miguel understood that, and it was part of the challenge.

Pete and Brandon hoped that this was a temporary impulse, a way of expressing himself until he settled into the life here. Unfortunately that was not the case. After lunch they lay by the pool and Finn's behavior got worse – lying on his stomach, his eyes everywhere, settling on prospective sexual targets but never actually following through.

Pete suggested a walk down the zig-zagging path down the cliff from the hotel to the beach. Brandon wheeled himself strongly down and uphill and they enjoyed the view and the sea breeze. But as people passed them in the opposite direction, Finn would make eye contact, then look back over his shoulder to see if he had scored.

That evening they had dinner in the formal dining room, and they got glimpses of Miguel when he looked round the kitchen door and smiled at them. And here they were afraid that Finn's behavior would be so blatant that other diners would notice his flirting with waiters and those hungry, lascivious eyes surveying the room.

In the end Pete declined the offer of dessert and they left cut the meal short and went upstairs. Finn went out to sit alone on the balcony, and Pete and Brandon could talk at last. They agreed there was a problem that could harm Miguel's reputation in the hotel, but it was a delicate situation and hard to know how to handle it.

Pete said, "If I talked to Finn directly he would resent me reprimanding him in place of Miguel and it might provoke him even more. Best thing to do is for me to go down and have a quiet word with Miguel and leave it to him. Then we'll just butt out and let them sort it out."

"Sir, while you're gone I could have a quiet word with Finn. He might take it better coming from someone his age, and he likes me and is kind to me – like the time he wanted me to choose the bedroom with the easiest shower. I'll be real diplomatic of course."

"Hm, not sure I like the idea, kiddo. Miguel said Finn can be unpredictable, especially when he's cornered and feeling insecure. I'll leave it to you, Brandon, but be careful. I'll be back soon."

<><> BITTER WORDS <><>

Brandon poured two glasses of brandy and wheeled himself out onto the balcony. He sat facing Finn who took the brandy and downed it in one gulp. There was an uneasy silence and Finn had an idea what was coming. "You got something to say to me, dude?"

"Actually, Finn, there was something. I'm speaking as your buddy and I don't want you to take this the wrong way but, well, about some of the stuff you were doing today ..."

Finn bristled, "Oh yeah, what about it?"

Carefully Brandon broached the topic, describing some of the things he and Pete had noticed and suggesting gently that he should curb it because it could harm Miguel's reputation. I think I know how you were feeling, dude, and why you were doing it but ..."

He didn't get any further as Finn erupted, sneering sarcastically, "Oh you know do you?" Brandon had unwittingly cut to the bone of his insecurity, pierced his fake armor of toughness. It had been building all day and now he lashed out at the person nearest him – Brandon.

"How the fuck do you know how it feels to be treated like a hanger-on while you and your precious Pete get all the attention. Yeah, I was turning guys on – and you know why? Because I can, I still can. That's something you can't do, mister look-at-how-independent-I-am."

He laughed cruelly. "Yeah sure, I can see guys paying for sex with a cripple. Damn, you play that wheelchair thing like a flute, squeezing all the sympathy you can get. You show off all the stuff you can do, but you're not too hot in the sack, I bet. God knows what Pete does with you, but I'm damn sure he longs for some real sex like he'd get from me.

"You know what it is with the guy? He feels sorry for you, that's all. Like all those guys working in the hotel – can I help you, sir'... are you comfortable, sir?' Fuck, they don't give a shit about you, they been trained to be kind to cripples, their job depends on it.

"Oh, and while we're on the subject, here's a news flash, kid. You know why you're here in the first place, why Miguel invited you? `Cos he feels sorry for you, not because you're this overrated big-shot office manager. He could have got any top accountant to look at the books here. But he asked you out of pity – he just wanted to make you feel good."

"No, stop!" Brandon shouted at last in shock. "I don't believe you. I won't listen to any more. I was only trying to help you, Finn, but ..."

He rolled back from the table and wheeled himself into the bedroom. There it all crashed in on him and he sobbed, running every evil word through his head again. In a daze, he didn't know how long he had been there before the door opened and in came Pete and Miguel.

Pete came up to him frowning. "Brandon, what's up, kiddo? Have you been crying?"

"No, sir," he said, brushing the tears from his face. "Well maybe a bit, but it's nothing ..."

Pete said sternly. "Brandon, I want the truth. Was it Finn?"

"Yes, sir, but he didn't mean it, he was upset. But sir, if you wanna have sex with other boys `cos you can't have proper sex with me, that's OK. I gotta face it, I'm a cripple and maybe you just feel sorry for me."

"Brandon, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Brandon," Miguel said gently. "What has Finn been saying?"

"He didn't mean it, sir. But I gotta know one thing. Did you ask me to come here just because you too felt sorry for me? I mean, you could have got the best accountants. Did you really want me to help you with the books, or was it just pity?"

Miguel winced and closed his eyes for a moment. "Brandon, I would never lie to you. When I knew I would need a skilled independent person I could trust, someone who had already overhauled the accounting systems at a big firm, I chose you. That is the truth, Brandon. Anyone who told you any different is lying."

He looked up at Pete. "Pete, I am so sorry, man. I wouldn't have had this happen for the world. I love you guys, love and envy you for the love you share. Please let me handle it. And by the way, Brandon, I think I've nailed down what the problem is with the kitchen accounts but I don't know how to fix it. That's where you come in. Would you be available tomorrow morning after breakfast? I have everything in my laptop so maybe we could go through it together."

"Yes, sir, thank you. I would like that."

"Pete, I apologize again, and I'll see you both at breakfast tomorrow. Please take care of Brandon, I know you will. He's very special. You're a lucky man, Ranger."

Pete took Brandon in his arms and said, "Now let's go to bed and work out all this nonsense about sex. Only one way to do that, eh?" Brandon managed a watery smile.

<><> THE FORBIDDEN TOUCH <><>

Miguel went out to the balcony, sat down and stared at Finn with steel cold eyes. He said menacingly. "OK, the truth. You lie to me once and we're finished. Did you tell Brandon I only asked him down here out of pity?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you tell him he could never satisfy Pete sexually because he's a cripple? Is that the word you used?"

"Yes, sir."

"Right, I want you to repeat to me every word you said to Brandon." Finn was trembling but he didn't dare lie, and hesitantly repeated everything, word for word.

There was a long silence as Miguel's eyes penetrated Finn's. "Boy, I don't even want to hear any lame excuse from you, but I can guess that your damnable insecurity is at the root of this. I know you like to taunt and challenge me so that I'll punish you – it's a kind of game you play. But that stays between us." His up-to-now calm voice got loud as his eyes blazed.

"You do not ... you do not take it out your fucking phobias and paranoia on a boy like Brandon, that sweet kid who everyone loves and admires for his pluck and determination. You do not call him or anyone else a fucking cripple. You do not tell him lies that Pete and I pity him."

By now he was yelling, veins standing out on his neck. "Dammit, man, you could have undermined that beautiful boy's self-confidence and set him back years."

Miguel paused and forced himself to calm down. "Before you even speak, I don't want to hear the word sorry or any other fake expression of guilt. Question is what do I do with you?"

"Are you gonna punish me, sir?"

"Fuck you, boy, you'd like that wouldn't you? It's part of that sick game you play in your twisted mind. Dammit, boy, I planned this trip thinking you and I could be together, away from home in great surroundings, making love and getting to know each other better. Well I got to know you, alright, and it ain't pretty – it's damn ugly.

"My first instinct was to take you to the train station and let you wait all night for the first train back to L.A. But I've got a better way – a way to give you an idea of what your life would be without me. Now get your fucking ass in the bedroom."

Quick to obey, Finn got up, scurried into their room and stood by the bed with his head bowed, hands clasped behind his back – the submissive stance of a man awaiting punishment.

"So what should I do? Tie your hands behind you, buckle a collar round your neck, throw you on the bed and jackhammer your ass? Maybe I should dress as a leather master and whip you until you beg for mercy. Sounds hot, uh? You'd like that – you always do. Well not this time, asshole. This time something far less elaborate. Strip naked and get on the bed on your back."

Again Finn was quick to comply. He pulled off the polo shirt he had worn at dinner, kicked off his shoes, dropped his pants and lay on his back on the bed, staring nervously up at Miguel. He braced himself for some physical punishment – but it never came.

Instead Miguel acted as if he were alone in the room. He had dressed smartly for supervising the kitchen and was now wearing a formal white shirt, a dark tie loosened at the neck, and black slacks. A white tank-top was visible under his shirt.

He walked round the room getting ready for bed, and Finn's eyes followed him. He was still nervous but also sexually aroused, as always, by the sight of the handsome Hispanic, his muscular torso evident under the formal shirt that tapered down to his slim waist and hips and the tight black pants that showed off his ass.

He loosened his tie and let it hang round his neck, then unbuttoned his shirt all the way down, revealing the white tank stretched over his pecs. He picked up a folder he had brought in with him and perused the notes he had made on his kitchen observations. He put it down, sighed and stretched. Then slowly undressed.

He pulled off his shirt and tie and stretched again, his tanned muscles flexing under the white tank. This was a look that always turned Finn on. As he watched, his cock was getting harder and it got fully erect when Miguel pulled the tank off. His hand mechanically moved down toward his cock but Miguel snapped, "No. Do not touch yourself, don't even move."

Miguel finished undressing – his shoes, pants and finally his undershorts – and his long cock swung between his thighs as he walked naked to the table where he had left the folder. He picked it up, came back and sat on the bed, propped on the pillows next to Finn – two feet apart. He opened the folder and read it, making notes in the margin in preparation for tomorrow's meeting with Brandon.

Finn's hand crept toward him but Miguel, without raising his eyed from his work, growled, "If you touch me or yourself, even just once, you're out – at the train station on your own. That applies all night."

So that was the plan, the punishment, the demonstration of how Finn would feel living without him. Finn was stunned and tried to stare straight up at the ceiling, but his eyes kept straying to the muscle-god next to him, who was completely ignoring him.

When Miguel had finished with his notes he leaned down and put the folder next to his backpack on the floor. He pulled from the backpack a men's health magazine he and Zack subscribed to, with features on good-looking sports models and their gym workouts. He flipped through it and settled on a picture of a handsome young muscle-jock who looked spectacular working out in board shorts, his muscles bulging as he lifted weights.

Finn had a clear view of it as Miguel held it up in one hand and grabbed his own cock with the other. Finn's heart was pounding as he watched Miguel focus on the picture while he beat his meat. HIs ecstatic groans grew more and more urgent until his body flexed and semen poured from his cock all over his ripped abs and chest.

With a deep, satisfied sigh Miguel tossed the magazine on the floor, pulled the pillow from behind his head and eased down till he was lying flat on his back. He turned the bedside lamp off, closed his eyes, and his heavy breathing settled into a steady rhythm, a precursor to sleep.

Helpless beside him Finn had never felt anything as suffocatingly frustrating as he did now. He glanced sideways and Miguel had never looked as beautiful as he did now. It was comfortably warm in the room and a single sheet was pulled up as far as their thighs. Miguel's naked body was still smothered in his own cum, his muscles rippling slightly as his chest rose and fell with his rhythmic breathing.

Finn could hear his breathing almost hear his heart beating. He could smell the faint odor of sweat and semen. It was agony forcing himself not to touch that gorgeous body.

Normally Finn would have leaned over and licked the semen from his chest and abs, then kissed the handsome, chiseled features, rubbing his cheek against the heavily stubbed jaw. He would have felt himself wrapped in his master's strong arms and would have slept there, until he was woken in the middle of the night by the horny Hispanic ready to fuck him.

And he was in real danger of losing all this. What if this night with no bodily contact was just the start of his agony? What if Miguel decided he'd had enough of him and Finn would spend future nights in bed alone? In the past he had been used to johns taking him into their house for a few weeks until they booted him out. Is this what Miguel was doing? Was it all over?"

He looked over at the beautiful face and body and realized he didn't just want to touch him. He loved him ... he loved the man ... he couldn't imagine life without him. As he lay beside him, forbidden to touch him, or speak to him, he already felt the desolation of loneliness.

"What had he been thinking? Why had he done what he did? He didn't know, but he did know he would do anything – anything – to remain Miguel's boy. In a purgatory of doubt he would have to wait for tomorrow, even though he was terrified by what it might bring.

Sleep was a long time coming, but eventually emotional exhaustion overcame him and he slept fitfully beside the man he worshipped. He woke several times during the night with an erection and looked over achingly at the sleeping muscle-god – the man he was forbidden to touch

<><> "HEY, BOY ..." <><>

In the morning when Finn woke, the nightmare of his situation crashed in on him, with all the fears and frustration of the restless night he had just spent, plagued by demons. He felt Miguel stir, saw him yawn, stretch and, with no touch, no morning kiss, he sprang out of bed.

"We're having breakfast in the suite, the four of us," Miguel said tonelessly, with no indication of his mood. "I'm gonna shower."

He strode off to the bathroom, leaving Finn in a turmoil of fear and confusion. What was he supposed to do now? What was Miguel thinking? Normally Finn would join him in the shower, soap him down and massage his muscles into life. But now ... Could he touch him – was Miguel even speaking to him?"

In an agony of anticipation he was startled to hear the man's deep voice. "Hey, boy ..."

What? What now? Did he want him in the shower? Or was he about to end it all and lower the axe forever?

Breathlessly, Finn waited.....

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 540

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.

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