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One

A man had a few pleasures in life

For Ezekiel “Zeke” Holloway, they included kicking back on the black leather couch in the den of the three-bedroouesthouse that he and his older brother, Luke, shared on the Wingate family estate He had an ice-cold beer in one hand, a slice ofon the hty-five-inch flat-screen television Granted, he ed to the Steelers

And then there was this He lifted the dark brown cigar with its iconic black-and-red label and studied the s A hint of pepper and chocolate, toasted nac It could be addictiveif he allowed it to be These cigars cost fifteen thousand dollars a box Which hy he only permitted himself to enjoy one per month Not because he couldn’t afford to buy es, not vice versa

And in a world that had suddenly become unfamiliar, cold and uncertain, he needed to believe he could control soar

He sighed, bracing a hand on the balcony coluht air Behind hilass doors Guests gathered in the cavernous parlor behind him James Harris, current president of the Texas Cattleman’s Club—of which Ezekiel was a hly successful horse breeder in Royal, Texas, and a business And when he invited a person to his elegant, palatial home, he or she attended

Even if they would be rubbing elboith the newly infaates

Bringing the cigar to his lips again, Ezekiel stared out into the darkness Beneath the blanket of the black, star-studded night, he could barelystretch of land that made up James’s property He rolled his shoulders, as if the motion could readjust and shift the cuer and, yes, fear that see around his neck like an albatross It was ludicrous, but he could practically feel the hushed h his black dinner jacket and white shirt like the e his chest and still nothing would alleviate the weight of the censure—the press of the guilty verdicts already cast his and his family’s way

Not even the influence and support of James Harris could lessen that

Lucky for Ezekiel and his faered for a party invitation froates

Ezekiel snorted, his lips twisting around the cigar Thank God for small favors

“And here I thought I’d found the perfect escape hatch”

Ezekiel jerked his head to the side at the husky, yet very feminine drawl Hisand utterly fake one he’d worn all evening Instead, true affection wound through hi ribbon