That Forbidden Love

Chapter 3

Zack

“For the umpteenth time can you tell me where exactly we are going, Justin?” Zack asked his brother impatiently as they got into a hired Chevrolet Jeep and away from the early summer sun in front of the Louisville International Airport, Kentucky.

“You need to take a course in patience, Zack. Come on man, it’s a surprise and you are less than an hour away minutes from finding out,” Justin replied breezily and patted his shoulder in a way that should have been reassuring, but filled him with dread instead.

He’d showed up at New Orleans city airport two hours ago in brown cargo shorts, a plain red t-shirt and a bomber jacket just as Justin had instructed early that morning, pondering in his head whether it wasn’t too late to back out of the entire arrangement.

Just when he’d finally made up his mind to turn back; as any right-thinking person would have done, his brother had shown up in the waiting lobby with a huge grin and a bear hug.

Adequately trapped, he’d gotten on the flight with mixed feelings, while asking for their destination at every interval of the journey. Justin as always had been quick with the evasive replies and after a while, he’d just allowed the matter rest.

But right now, as they rode out of the traffic-laden streets and headed towards the interstate, he couldn’t help the unease crawling through his body.

Distracting himself from the thoughts of what lay ahead of the tree-lined, almost empty roads, Zack replied to some e-mails, and listened to a twenty minutes long report on the Ontario project from his supervisor in Canada, while Justin complained and bi*ched about the fact that he’d still brought work on a leisure trip

By the time the audio ended a few minutes later, the jeep was veering off the main road and into a dirt track surrounded by tall southern magnolia trees and eastern redbuds. It was on the tip of Zack’s tongue to inquire once more on the nature of the excursion as his thoughts rioted with different possibilities.

The idea of a hike or a hunt stood out more prominently because either of the scenarios fitted the scenery quite perfectly, yet something still felt off.

Soon, the dirt track appeared to grow more jagged and uneven as they made an ascent up until they arrived at the entryway of a sprawling nature park with the sight of hilly constructions in the near distance and a sign that read; Kentucky River, Anderson County.

Zack turned to his brother without a trace of a smile on his face. “Now for the last time, what the hell are we doing here? Trust me if it’s something totally reckless; by Jove, I will toss you off the nearest cliff and I mean it.”

“Uh, are you sure you can still take me?” Justin’s smirk was riddled with confidence.

“You barely have time to work out and methinks all that sitting in endless meetings and behind the desk must have surely made you soft, big brother.”

Zack couldn’t help but shake his head ruefully as the memories of their younger years floated into his thoughts. “Don’t be too sure about that, kiddo.”

“Uh, huh. Then promise you’d be open-minded about what we are about to do in a few short minutes?”

The suspicions and uneasy feeling returned to Zack with full force, just as the jeep approached a row of bungalows and theme park constructions. A few people were standing around in the parking space and a man dressed in hiking gear was speaking to a couple with a notepad in hand.

Just as he’d speculated. They were going hiking after all. Sighing, Zack let out a pent-up breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Even though it seemed he’d been worried for nothing, it was better to be on the safe side because with his brother, you could never really know.

Just like the way Justin had shown up in his condo a year ago looking pretty disheveled and worried.

“Come on man, I have an emergency,” Justin had begged without going into details. ” You just need to come with your passport and credit cards, it’s really important.”

Fast forward to three hours later, he’d found himself in a jet heading to Rudolstadt, Germany for an obstacle race event of which his brother had signed both of them on as competitors.

Trapped, surrounded by willing competitors who couldn’t wait to participate in the yearly extreme sports event, he hadn’t had much choice but to go along with the competition.

It had eventually turned out to be one of the hardest, grueling and challenging things that he’d ever done in his life, apart from building and turning the family business into a blooming dynasty. As much as he’d strangely enjoyed it, he’d never completely forgiven his brother for that day.

By the time the jeep came to a stop and they had gotten out of the car, everyone in the parking lot had gathered around a tall, wiry man with a baseball cap.

Zack gave Justin a wry smile as they joined the rest of the group. “You could have just said we were going hiking. I guess I should have realized when you kept taking a jab at my lack of exercising.”

Justin cleared his throat and smiled back but avoided meeting his eyes. “Have you had any breakfast yet?”

“Just some crackers on the plane, why?”

” Nothing, just checking. How about any special medication you’ve never spoken about?”

Zack’s thoughts sped straight into overdrive. Something wasn’t right. Before he could ask for clarifications about the questions, the man in the middle of the group clapped his hands and began to speak.

“Hi, everyone. Welcome to Vertigo Bungee Jumping. My name is Sal, and that is my partner, Kygo,” he indicated a smiling Hispanic man handing out papers to everyone. “We will be your instructors for the jump and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. For now, please fill the forms to indicate your eligibility before we proceed.”

Bungee jumping.

Everything suddenly sank into Zack and became clearer as he accepted a form from Kygo. This wasn’t a hiking party as he’d initially thought but a foolhardy experience people engaged in by jumping from a tall height and suspended in the air with nothing but a measly elastic strap and the grace of God.

Zack turned to Justin right then as the feeling of déjà vu settled over him. It was almost like the Germany obstacle race trip again. Once more, he had been bamboozled by his reckless brother like a freaking greenhorn. Way to go man.

“I’m sorry for not spilling the beans, Zack,” Justin’s grin was sheepish and mischievous. “I knew you wouldn’t agree to it and this was the only way to get you down here. I know I’m a bas*ard and you would like to kick me in the nut-sack soon, but you really need to try this. It’s one of the best things you will ever experience.”

Zack flung the form in his face and turned to walk away, feeling a surge of annoyance. How could he have been so stupid, knowing Justin as he did? He’d wasted his time and energy coming down to Kentucky when he could be reviewing the report Hardy had sent last night with the rest of the team at the office.

“Hey, come on, man. I’m sorry,” Justin’s apology was riddled with laughter as he circled to face him squarely. “You are just so stuck up with work and barely do anything else these days. I know you are very ambitious and have insane plans for the family business but you know, Zack, you need to calm down before you burn out.”