Darren's blog

Chapter 1: The Plan
The idea had come up over beers at their usual dive bar. Ethan, at 35, was all rugged charm—his beard dusted with ash from the fire, his deep laugh rumbling through the trees as he leaned back in his chair. "What we need is a real getaway," he suggested, that easy confidence rolling off him. "No phones, no distractions—just us, a tent, and the wilderness."

Liam, 28, was a storm barely contained—muscles coiled under his tight shirt, green eyes sharp with challenge as he smirked. "You sure you can handle roughing it, old man?"

Cole, 26, was quieter, but there was a fire in him too, smoldering beneath his easy smiles as he swirled his drink. "I'm in," he said simply.

And just like that, the trip was set.


Chapter 2: Into the Wild

A week later, they met at the forest entry base—a small ranger station at the edge of Whispering Pines. The air was crisp with the scent of pine and earth, the towering trees casting long shadows as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

Liam tossed his backpack onto the ground with a thud. "Alright, boys. Who's ready to get lost?"

Ethan chuckled, adjusting the straps of his own pack. "Speak for yourself. I've got a compass and a map."

"And I've got common sense," Cole muttered, earning a playful shove from Liam.

They set off down the winding trail, the forest swallowing them whole. The deeper they went, the quieter it became—just the crunch of leaves underfoot, the occasional rustle of wildlife, and the distant rush of water.

After an hour of hiking, they found the perfect spot: a secluded clearing near a riverbank, the ground soft with layers of fallen leaves, the trees forming a natural canopy overhead.

"Home sweet home," Ethan declared, dropping his gear.


Chapter 3: The Fire Begins

The fire crackled between them, its warm glow painting their faces in flickering gold. Dinner had been devoured—Liam's surprisingly edible attempt at campfire chili—and now they lounged around the flames, passing a flask of whiskey between them.

Ethan stretched, the muscles in his arms flexing as he reached overhead. "We're running low on firewood," he remarked, nodding toward the dwindling pile. "I'll grab some more."

Liam's gaze tracked Ethan's movements with undisguised hunger as he stood. "Need help?"

Ethan smirked, shaking his head. "I think I can handle a few branches." His eyes flicked between them before adding, "Don't kill each other while I'm gone."

Then he disappeared into the trees, the shadows swallowing him whole.

The silence he left behind was charged.

The moment Ethan's footsteps faded, the clearing seemed to shrink around them. 

Liam tossed another log onto the fire, sending sparks flying. "So, Cole," he began, voice deceptively light, "you've been awfully quiet tonight. Someone on your mind?"

Cole kept his eyes on the flames. "Just enjoying the peace. Unlike some people, I don't need to fill every silence with noise."

Liam's grin sharpened. "Or maybe you're distracted. By, say... a certain someone's very noticeable absence?"

Cole's fingers tightened around a stick. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit." Liam leaned forward, firelight dancing across his face. "I've seen how you look at Ethan."

Cole's head snapped up. "And I've seen how you 'accidentally' brush against him every chance you get."

Liam chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "At least I'm honest about what I want."

"Honest?" Cole scoffed. "You're as subtle as a bear in a campsite."

Liam's eyes flashed. "Better than pretending you don't want him."

The air crackled between them. Cole stood abruptly, the stick snapping in his hands. "You think you're the only one who can have him?"

Liam rose to his feet, grin turning feral. "I know I am."

Cole's pulse roared. "Prove it."

Liam didn't hesitate. "Bareknuckle. Right here. Winner gets him."

Cole's answer was immediate. "Fine."

Liam stood first, rolling his shoulders as he stepped toward a flat, leaf-strewn patch near the riverbank. Moonlight caught the sharp angles of his face.

"Plenty of space over here," he said, his green eyes glinting with challenge.

Cole rose slowly, following Liam to the open area. The river murmured nearby, its steady rush the only witness as they circled each other. Liam rolled up his sleeves, revealing corded forearms, while Cole shook out his hands, his movements precise.

"Last chance to back out," Liam taunted, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Cole exhaled sharply. "Funny. I was about to say the same to you."


Chapter 4: The Inferno Ignites

The first punch came like lightning—Liam's fist slicing through the air. Cole barely dodged, feeling the wind of it brush his cheek. He countered with a sharp jab to Liam's ribs, making him grunt.

Liam laughed, wiping his mouth. "Not bad."

They circled each other, firelight painting their faces in gold and shadow. Liam feinted left, then swung right. Cole blocked, but the force sent him stumbling back. His shirt caught on a branch, tearing at the collar to reveal smooth, toned skin glistening with sweat.

Liam smirked. "Nice of you to dress for the occasion." With one brutal yank, he ripped his own shirt off, exposing a lightly furred chest.

Cole didn't hesitate—he tore his shirt free, his smooth torso gleaming in the firelight. The sight made Liam's breath catch before Cole charged.

They crashed together like rival stags, fists flying. Liam landed an uppercut that snapped Cole's head back, but Cole retaliated with a knee to Liam's gut. They rolled across the ground, dirt spraying, muscles straining—Liam's coarse chest hair rubbing against Cole's smooth skin.

A vicious roll sent them crashing into the firepit, embers spiraling into the night.


Chapter 5: Ethan's Decree

The crack of knuckles against flesh echoed through the clearing as Ethan pushed through the last line of trees, his arms loaded with firewood. The sight before him made his boots root to the earth.

Liam and Cole were locked in a brutal embrace, their shirts torn open, sweat-slicked chests heaving as they rolled across the dirt. A flash of Cole's smooth torso pressed against Liam's lightly furred chest, their muscles straining as they grappled near the firepit. Embers scattered as they crashed through the edge of the flames, neither willing to yield.

Ethan's breath caught. The firewood tumbled from his arms.

"What the hell—?" ( Ethan voice breaks the moment)

For a heartbeat, he could only stare—at the way Liam's biceps flexed as he pinned Cole down, at the defiant snarl on Cole's normally composed face, at the raw hunger in both their eyes that had nothing to do with fighting. His pulse roared in his ears.

Then understanding crashed over him like a cold river.

They're fighting over me.

The realization sent heat coiling low in his gut. His surprise melted into something darker, more primal.

"Don't stop on my account."

Both men froze beneath the rough timber of Ethan's voice. They turned as one, their bruised faces flushed, lips parted around ragged breaths.

Ethan stepped forward, his earlier shock replaced by a slow, knowing smirk. He drank in the sight of them—Liam's split lip, Cole's mussed hair, the way their bodies still pressed together in their struggle.

"Fighting over me?" His voice dropped an octave as he circled them like a predator. "I'm flattered."

Cole's throat worked as he swallowed hard. Liam's fingers twitched where they gripped Cole's shoulder, but neither moved.

Ethan stopped directly before them, the firelight casting shadows across his face. He reached out, brushing his thumb over Liam's bleeding knuckles, then let his hand trail across Cole's heaving chest.

"Finish it," he commanded, his eyes burning. "Whoever wins... gets me."

The challenge hung in the air like smoke.

For three pounding heartbeats, no one moved. Then—

With twin growls that sent ice through Ethan’s veins, Liam and Cole slammed into each other again, bodies colliding like wild beasts. Liam’s fingers dug into Cole’s thick hair, yanking hard enough to wrench a sharp cry from him. But Cole snarled back, teeth flashing as he bit down hard on Liam’s shoulder, teeth sinking deep enough to sting.

They crashed to the forest floor in a brutal tangle—skin slick with sweat, muscles straining against muscle. Liam’s biceps bulged as he twisted Cole’s arm behind his back, trying to pin him flat. But Cole twisted sharply, his legs whipping up to catch Liam’s ribs with a stinging kick that made the younger man grunt.

Ethan’s heart hammered in his chest. He hadn’t expected this ferocity. Not the way their bodies moved—fast, raw, desperate, like fighting for survival and salvation all at once.

Liam’s hands were fierce, almost violent, digging into Cole’s sides as he tried to hold him down. Cole’s breath came in ragged gasps, but he wasn’t beaten—his dark eyes blazed with defiance as he locked onto Liam’s. Then suddenly, Cole grabbed Liam’s wrist, wrenching it hard until the younger man’s fingers released their grip. Cole spun on his side, driving a knee into Liam’s stomach with savage force.

Liam doubled over with a grunt, but his hands didn’t loosen. He lunged, wrapping an arm around Cole’s neck, pulling him down in a crushing hold. Cole twisted, teeth bared, slashing at Liam’s arm with bruising punches and nails.

Ethan stepped closer, every sense ablaze. The wet smack of skin on skin, the sharp intake of breath, the raw, guttural sounds they made—it all tore at him, a fire rising in his gut. His eyes drank in the way Liam’s torn shirt clung to sweat-slick muscles, how Cole’s chest heaved with exertion, the flush staining their necks and collars.

He crouched beside them, fingers hovering but not yet touching, caught between wanting to intervene and wanting to watch the storm unfold.

Cole managed a sudden shift, twisting out of Liam’s grasp and slamming him onto his back. Liam gasped, but Cole was already on top, fists hammering against Liam’s chest—not to injure, but to prove strength. Liam gritted his teeth, pushing back, nails raking down Cole’s arms as he fought to reclaim control.

They rolled again, each landing bruises and bites, sweat and spit mixing in the cool night air. Ethan’s breath hitched as Liam’s lips brushed against Cole’s jaw in a flash of hunger disguised as a bite. Cole responded by catching Liam’s wrist, holding it tight, eyes dark and smoldering.

The fire between them wasn’t just about winning. It was about claiming—about proving who was worthy of something more than just scraps of attention.

Ethan’s voice came low, thick with surprise and something darker as he finally broke the silence. “Damn. I didn’t think you two had this much fire.”

Both men froze, heads snapping toward him, eyes wide and raw.

Ethan’s grin deepened as he stepped closer, leaning down to trace a bruised line on Liam’s jaw. “If you want to fight over me,” he said, voice a low growl, “then show me what you’re really made of.”

The challenge hung heavy in the air. Then, with a fresh surge of energy, Liam and Cole lunged at each other once more—raw, hungry, relentless—fighting not just for victory, but for Ethan.

And Ethan knew he’d never seen anything like this before.

The Victor.

Cole moved like a predator, his body coiled tight with adrenaline. With a final, brutal twist, he wrenched Liam onto his stomach, pinning him hard into the dirt. Liam snarled, bucking beneath him, but Cole’s grip was iron—his knee pressed between Liam’s shoulder blades, his fingers tangled in sweat-damp hair, forcing his face into the earth.

“Yield,” Cole growled, breath hot against Liam’s ear.

Liam’s muscles trembled with exhaustion, but his voice was pure defiance. “Fuck you.”

Cole smirked, tightening his hold just enough to make Liam hiss. “Not tonight.” He glanced up at Ethan, his dark eyes gleaming with triumph. “Looks like I win.”

Ethan exhaled, slow and deliberate, his gaze flickering between them. “For now.”

Liam twisted under Cole’s grip, teeth bared, but Cole held firm, leaning down to murmur against his skin. “You’re good, pup. But not good enough.”

Liam’s laugh was rough, breathless. “This isn’t over.”

“No,” Cole agreed, finally releasing him and pushing to his feet. “It’s not.”

Ethan watched as Liam rolled onto his back, chest heaving, lips parted as he sucked in air. There was no surrender in his eyes—only the promise of another fight, another night.

And Ethan knew—they knew—this was just the beginning.

Cole wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing dirt and blood. His gaze locked onto Ethan’s, possessive and sharp. “You’re mine tonight.”

Liam’s fingers curled into fists, but he didn’t argue. Not yet.

Because this wasn’t the end.

It was the first strike in a war.


To be Continued...