Memories Without Him novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: The Other Side of the Door

Vincent's POV

Aldo's house in Bay Ridge had an iron gate, and two of his men stood at it.

I knew both of them by name.

One had carried my father's coffin.

"Boss," said the older one, and he did not open the gate. "Miss Sorrento asked not to see you."

"She said that herself?"

"Mr. Brunetti told us she did."

My driver had the engine running behind me, and four of my own men sat in the second car.

I could have walked through that gate on my name alone.

Every man on this street would have stepped aside for it.

I looked at the lit window on the second floor, and I thought about the revolving door at the Tower.

For six months a guard in my own lobby had told her no in my name.

I had called that a failure of my staff.

I stood on the wet sidewalk and understood it was the thing itself, and that I was standing on its other side now.

"Tell her I'm here," I said. "Tell her I won't come in."

"Boss..."

"Tell her."

He went up the path.

I turned to my men and told them to go home.

They did not like it.

The car left, and mine stayed, a block down, with the lights off.

At ten, I took out my phone and called her number.

I have never texted anyone.

My father held that a thing written down could be read by the wrong man, and I grew up believing it.

Now I know a text can be written by the wrong man too.

It rang six times and went to her voice.

I did not leave a message.

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