Rapture's Rendezvous Read Free Page B

understood that this thing they were doing held a fascination for Alberto mainly due to the stacks of green bills being exchanged from one hand to another.
    Maria reached up to touch Alberto's cheek, suddenly afraid, seeing a strangeness in his eyes … a look of need … a look almost the same as lust as he licked his lips feverishly. “Alberto, come and sit with me,” she pleaded.
    â€œI've got to see how they play that game,” Alberto said, jerking away from her, then gazed at her with his wide, dark eyes. “Now you sit down on your bunk and I'll only be a minute.”
    Maria clutched at his arm. “You don't want to even get near those men,” she whispered harshly. Her own dark eyes widened, pleading. “Can't you see they are evil men?” She shuddered visibly, seeing the thick black whiskers of most of them, and the filthiness of their shabby clothes. “And they're so dirty. Even dirtier than the clothes we have had to wear.”
    â€œThey might be all those things,” Alberto said. “But don't you see the money in their possession? God. They must be rich.”
    Maria scoffed. “Rich? How could they be and dress n such a way? Bank robbers would probably be a more ippropriate way to describe them. Please, Alberto, stay away from them.”
    â€œIt looks too exciting, Maria. You know how boring life has been up to now for both of us.”
    â€œBut I'm afraid to be left alone.”
    â€œI will only be footsteps away. Didn't I promise to always be here to look after you?”
    â€œAnd I'm hungry, Alberto,” she whined, gathering the bottom of her shirt in her fingers to twist it.
    â€œThe women folk will soon be cooking. You'll see.”
    â€œIf I could show that I'm a woman, I could help with the cooking,” she further pouted. “I've noticed that the ones who do the cooking sneak extra food beneath their skirts. I could even do that for us, Alberto.”
    Alberto frowned, busying himself, removing from his inner pockets most of his money and already purchased train tickets for the long trip from New York to Illinois, then quickly thrust this into Maria's hands. “Here. Hide this,” he said. “Maybe the men are wicked as you say. No need in taking a chance of getting our money and tickets taken from me.”
    Maria looked downward, mentally calculating how much he had given her. She wasn't skilled with numbers, but she did know enough to realize Alberto hadn't given her all the money they possessed. She circled her fingers around what she did hold and eyed him questioningly. “Where is the rest, Alberto?” she whispered.
    His face flushed crimson as he looked quickly away from her. “A man apparently doesn't go sit to watch that card game without money of his own,” hemumbled, awkwardly thrusting his hands in his rear trousers pockets.
    â€œAlberto!” Maria scolded. “You cannot do this thing. I know harm will come from it.”
    Alberto's eyes grew wider when he watched one of the men thrust a huge wad of bills inside a wallet, laughing, then moving away from the men, to go and wrap his arms around a young, beautiful woman. He further watched as they disappeared below deck. He had heard whisperings about these women with the painted faces and low-cut dresses, and what the men paid them to do. His heart pounded against his chest… wondering how it would feel to reach up inside the skirts of a woman. He had seen enough of his sister Maria to stir his insides to an almost burning inferno. .. .
    â€œAlberto?” Maria whispered.
    He leaned down into her face. “Hide the money and tickets,” he said quietly.
    â€œBut where?”
    â€œInside the violin case. No one will ever have a chance to take it from you. I know how you watch it like a hawk.”
    â€œThen you still insist on going to sit with those men?”
    He held her face in his hands. “For a little while,