Free Stone Walls by A.M. Madden Page A

job to do so. Speaking to my aunt causes me nothing but pain from the guilt. Not speaking to her causes the guilt I carry to fester.
    “Ben, stop beating yourself up. What happened affected you, too. You had your future ahead of you. Besides, I turned out just fine.” He laughs before adding, “Hell, I’m a very handsome dude who happens to be brilliant as well.”
    “That you are, bro. I’ll let you get back to sleep or back to your studying . Be good.”
    “Always.”
    I stare at the phone once he disconnects. It’s early, but Beth would be up. I scroll through my contacts to stare at her name and number. As if my thumb has a mind of its own, it pushes the cancel button before the call connects. Maybe later.

    One of Politto’s many ventures are gyms called Social Workouts. He owns three in the city. The first is right here in my neighborhood, blocks away from my apartment. I’ll pretend I want in and take a good look around. The place is fairly busy for a Saturday afternoon. It’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be. In fact, it’s massive.
    Mob money. Spare no expense. State of the art equipment, all the conveniences of home, Internet access included, the amenities are only part of the draw for this place. The other part is the mix between a workout and a dating scene.
    Of course, the two should meld. This is exactly the place one would come to pick someone up.
    After a mental eye-roll, I walk toward the reception desk to start this charade. The dude behind the desk gives me a once over before plastering a smile on his face.
    “How can we help you?”
    “I’m looking for a new workout. Heard good things.”
    He flashes a dazzling white smile. “You heard right. I’m Nole. Welcome to Social Workouts. We do have a waiting list, but while on it we supply three complimentary visits, so our members are fully versed in the Social Workout experience.” He bends to retrieve a brochure. “This details all the advantages of why you should choose SW as your place to a healthily-ever-after.”
    Is this ass for real ?
    “Thank you.”
    He passes me a clipboard. “Just fill this out, and I’ll have someone come by to give you a tour.” He then hands me three stickers. “Wear one of these on your shirt whenever you’d like to use your free day pass. You can use them anytime in the next month. If you haven’t heard back on the status of your membership by then, let us know, and we can work out an extension.”
    “Sounds great,” I say in my best radio announcer voice. Nole misses the sarcasm and smiles wider.
    “Take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly.”
    I follow his instruction, looking around as I wait for this guided tour. In the far left corner, a stunning brunette is sparring on the martial arts mat. Her cropped sports bra and her skin tight knit shorts leave nothing to the imagination. With every move, her toned abs flex, revealing a feminine version of a six-pack. Her ponytail shoots out of the top of her sparring helmet, revealing her long, graceful neck. Even with the safety equipment that she needs to wear, she still looks sexy as fuck.
    I haven’t thought about her once since last speaking to her. By just seeing her across the room, I can distinctly remember the smell of her perfume. I remember how smooth her skin felt right below her ear, and it causes my lips to twitch.
    I continue to watch, mesmerized. Just as I predicted, watching Ella sparring is as hot as I thought it would be. Actually, it’s even hotter. She dishes out more than she takes. The woman she is sparring with is physically bigger, yet Ella handles her like a rag doll. There are a few curious patrons standing around the perimeter of the mat, watching the two women working out. Most are men, and most are staring as unabashedly as I am. It makes me want to stake a claim to her and tell them to all fuck off.
    After a few more minutes, they meet in the center and bow. Ella removes her helmet and smiles while offering a