Tramp (Hush #1) - Mary Elizabeth Page 0,126

were updated regularly and straight to the point.

Here are the girls.

Here are the clients.

This is how much money we have and where it is.

Any information tying me to Hush died with Inez, because my name or the names of my clients aren’t anywhere in the files.

I sent Cara Smith to the grave with her.

Now that Hush is no longer making headlines, and the FBI has left town, it’s time to start over.

“Are you heading to the office today?” Camilla asks.

“Yes,” I say, standing to my feet. “Do you want to come along?”

“No thanks,” Camilla says. She scoops Dog onto her lap and gives him a kissy face. “I’m sure you and Talent have everything under control. Let me know when you’re ready for me to start.”

Yael drives me from my apartment to the Ridge & Sons building downtown. It turns out that he’s been married for thirty-five years, has three adult children, and four grandchildren. He retired after a long career as a janitor at the local high school. Still, he hated staying home so much, he started chauffeuring. And now he works for me exclusively.

“Will Mr. Ridge see you home this evening?” Yael asks as I exit the SUV outside the mirrored building.

“Yes, you’re free until tomorrow. Thank you.”

Talent waits for me at the entrance, with his jacket unbuttoned and his tie loose. He relieves me of the file folder and tucks it under his arm before capturing my face in his hands and kissing my lips. I may never get used to the overflowing warmth that envelops me when I’m in his arms.

His metal stare searches mine like it has so many times before, and he asks, “Are you ready for this?”

Reaching past him to open the large glass door, I say, “Is anyone ever ready to operate a prostitution ring out of their boyfriend’s law firm?”

There’s still so much in the air. Will anyone besides Camilla work for me? Will our clients feel safe enough to return in light of the investigation? Giovanni Coppola sees me coming and going from the office. Now that we know each other, we’re polite in passing. But, we don’t know if he’s willing to let us run Hush without interference. Inez said that part of the deal ended with her.

What I do know is that I have an office with a view of the ocean, a folder with all the information I need to start, and a man who loves me enough to help me try.

My name is Lydia Montgomery.

I am the daughter of a stripper.

And nothing is out of reach when you’re beautiful.

Coming Soon in the Hush Series

Harlot (Hush Volume 2)

Camilla & Wilder

2021

Criminal (Hush Volume 3)

Lydia and Talent Part 2

2021

Mary Elizabeth finds words in chaos, writing stories about the skeletons hanging in your closets.

Known as The Realist, Mary was born and raised in Southern California. She is a wife, mother of four beautiful children, and dog tamer to one enthusiastic Pit Bull and a prissy Chihuahua. She’s a hairstylist by day but contemporary fiction, new adult author by night. Mary can often be found finger twirling her hair and chewing on a stick of licorice while writing and rewriting a sentence over and over until it’s perfect. She discovered her talent for tale-telling accidentally, but literature is in her chokehold. And she’s not letting go until every story is told.

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“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”—Jeremiah 17:9

This book almost didn’t happen.

I wanted to quit and never write another novel again.

Eventually, I dusted off my laptop and wrote most of this book in a matter of weeks. I’ve had the idea for Tramp for years—an escort who might be the person sitting next to you in the doctor’s office waiting room. Talent was meant to be her savior. But when I started to write their story, they made it very clear no one needed saving.

If anyone was saved during the writing of Tramp, it was me.

My love for storytelling has returned stronger than ever, and Tramp is only the beginning of an epic series. Lydia, Talent, Camilla, and Wilder are far from telling their stories.

There are two people in particular who supported me during the writing of Tramp. They read the book as I wrote it one chapter at a time, and then all at once.

Catherine Jones, your name is a constant in my acknowledgments because I literally could not do this without your knowledge, sense of humor, and support. You’ve been with me since before Mary Elizabeth existed, and I’m forever indebted to you for it.

Misty Walker, you’ll forever be my favorite biased prereader, and the fact that you stuck with me while writing your own books means more to me than I can ever put into words. Thank you for encouraging me until the end.

To my editor, Paige Smith, who’s never let me down. Thank you for always making time for me and thank you for making it look like I know what I’m doing in the process. People can say what they want about my books, but they’ll never say they aren’t beautifully edited.

To my editor, Ellie McLove, thank you for always squeezing me in. Thank you for always including me in everything and thank you for being my friend. I’m still waiting for you to get that tattoo.

Dana, the cover you designed gave me the foundation I needed to jump from and finish this book. Jan, your teasers gave me life!! And our chats on Instagram made receiving a blood transfusion a little easier, even if you didn’t know it. And Candy, who took me on without question. Thank you for helping me push this book on the poor, unsuspecting readers.

Mary’s Little Lambs, who didn’t abandon me when I went radio silent for a year. Your dedication is admirable. Thank you for being my people.

And last, but certainly not least, to my husband and children. Thank you for supporting my dreams. I love our life, and I love you.