Page 123 of Devotion

Ahmed is already standing in his place, ready to lead us out.

A half mile later, we reach the vaulted palace doors, down the steps to a waiting SUV. Without any other alternative, we climb in.

The drive is long.

A few hours. Mostly spent in silence.

Finally, the driver pulls into what appears to be an abandoned village, a cluster of buildings at the side of the road. Again, we don’t have much choice but to get out.

“Seriously? You’re just going to monsoon us out here?” I shout after the car as it drives away.

“It’s marooned, you shithead.” A voice drolls behind us.

A voice I know way too well.

Vanya grabs my arm.

When I turn around, surprise, surprise. It’s the man in the mask, leaning in the doorway.

“Hello brother.”

22

CIRO

“You should see the look on your face right now,” he snickers.

Ero never snickered before. To be fair, I’ve never stood in the middle of an African nation with my mouth hanging open like a dolt either. Not my best comparison.

But as he pulls down the mask, he’s not smiling. Some things never change.

Unless you hear that your twin brother is dead, and then he turns out to be alive and also the guy who probably killed your girlfriend’s brother and a ton of your new crew.

I’m standing outside my body, staring at myself, at Vanya, at the man in black, jet-black hair with eyes dark as sin.

He’s from another life. A different world.

“Fiero,” the guy who looks like me says. I blink and I’m back in my body. Hm. Tastes like cognitive dissonance.

“I haven’t heard that name in a long time.”

“What do they call you now? Finger One?”

“Just Ghost.”

I snort loudly, not bothering to cover my lip flapping spit take. “Wow.”

“It’s a long story.”

“It’s alamenickname. And I didn’t ask for the story.”

“Ciro…” Vanya stands next to me, stiff as a rod. “This is your brother. The one who is dead.”

“Twin brother. Dead. Yeah.”

“Legally dead, sure.” Ero shrugs. “You must be Vanya.”

She stares wide eyed at him. Something terrible tries to connect in my brain, but I’m so frazzled. My brain is shaking like a jello cup at a rave.

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