She threw open the worn oak door of the front entrance. Two silver-haired black ladies were slowly approaching, and she waited to hold the door for them.

Then she was quickly outside, drawing a deep breath.

Fresh air. Sunlight. The smell of garbage was less down here.

“Hello, Eve, aren’t you late?” Rosa Desprando was sitting in the sun on the green bench outside the building with her year-old little boy beside her. She spent a lot of time outside; her father was always yelling at her because the baby was too noisy.

“A little.” Rosa was her own age, sixteen, and had been in her homeroom at school before she had gotten pregnant and dropped out. Eve had always liked her. She was a little slow, but that didn’t matter. She had a good heart and was always smiling, something that wasn’t common in Eve’s world. In fact, she had too good a heart. She’d been a target for every guy in school because they could con her into anything. Including getting pregnant with adorable Manuel, who she loved more than anything in the world.

Eve stopped by the bench and stroked the baby’s dark curls. “Hey, hot stuff,” she said softly. “How you doing?”

Manuel was gurgling and batting his long eyelashes at her. She had once told Rosa that he should be doing commercials for mascara. He was a plump, rosy-cheeked child, and completely enchanting.

Eve chuckled. “I think he’s doing fine. Is he still keeping you awake teething?”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter,” Rosa said as she adjusted the baby’s Braves baseball shirt. “He’s worth it. Doesn’t he look cute in this shirt you bought for him? Say thank you, Manuel.”

“No big deal. It only cost me fifty cents at Goodwill.”

“But he’s so cute in it. Like a real baseball player. I’m trying to teach him to say thank you. He said it yesterday.”

Manuel beamed up at Eve. “Mama.”

“I don’t think so,” Eve said.

“He calls everyone mama,” Rosa said. “Even my papa.”

“He’ll get it straight soon.” She dropped a kiss on his head and opened the gate. “See you, Rosa.”

Rosa nodded. “I saw your mama a few minutes ago. She looked real pretty.”

“Sandra always looks nice,” Eve said as she started the four-block walk to the bus stop.

“Eve.”

“What?” Eve glanced back over her shoulder.

“Watch out.” Rosa’s gaze was fixed on the alley at the end of the block. “I saw Rick Larazo and Frank Martinelli and some of their gang around earlier this evening. Rick looked … wild. I think he’s on something bad.”

“I always watch out,” Eve said. “You keep away from them, Rosa.”

“They don’t do anything but call me bad names.” Rosa cuddled her baby closer. “They can’t hurt me, but I don’t like them talking like that about Manuel. He didn’t do nothin’. It was all my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” That wasn’t true. It was Rosa’s fault for trusting and believing and for being born in a world that victimized the innocent and the weak. “It was just something that happened. It can work out. You take good care of Manuel and look through that GED pamphlet I gave you. You’ll get your diploma, then you can get a good job.”

She shook her head. “I’m not smart like you, Eve.”

“You don’t have to be smart. You just have to want it enough. Look, Rosa, we don’t have to be like our parents, living hand to mouth, falling into the same traps, making the same mistakes. We can dig ourselves out of here.” She could never understand why that desire wasn’t there in the people around her. It had always been a burning passion with her. But she didn’t have time to argue with Rosa at that moment. “Study for that GED. I’ll talk to you later. See you.”

Her pace quickened as she kept a wary eye on the dark cavity of the alley as she passed it. She had been attacked more than once by scum hiding in that cluttered dimness.

This time she was lucky.

Evidently Rick Larazo and his gang had moved on and she didn’t have—

A scream.

Rosa.

Eve whirled.

Dear God.

Rick Larazo, Frank Martinelli, and two other boys were in front of the housing development.

Rick had taken the baby away from Rosa and was holding Manuel over his head. She was trying desperately to jump up and reach him. Frank Martinelli was laughing and backing away. “Throw him, Rick. He thinks he’s a baseball player, let him play.”

“No!”

Rosa screamed as the baby was thrown up in the air and across the yard.

Eve stared in horror.

It was almost like watching slow motion. Manuel’s plump little legs flailing in the air, Rosa whirling and reaching out, the boys laughing and calling out.

“Don’t worry, Rosa. I’ve got him.” Frank Martinelli stepped forward, pretended to catch the baby, then deliberately stepped back and let the baby fall to the ground.

Damn them. Damn them. Damn them.

Eve raced back toward the development.

Rosa was crying, trying to get to her baby, but Rick was holding her back.

The baby was lying still, crumpled on the ground.

“Let her go!” Eve tackled Rick Larazo, her hand grabbing for his penis and twisting.

He howled, falling, and released Rosa.

“Get Manuel inside, Rosa,” Eve yelled, and jumped on top of Rick. She wouldn’t be able to hold him long. He was big, strong, and his eyes were as wild as Rosa had said. His dirty straw-colored hair was scraggly, with pink-dyed streaks, and he looked like some weird cartoon character. Only there was nothing funny about him. She was surprised he’d even been able to feel the pain through the drugs.

Rosa snatched up the baby and ran up the stairs and into the building.

Good.

Now to try to get away herself.

Too late.

Frank Martinelli grabbed her hair from behind and jerked backward.

Rick punched her in the stomach and pushed her off him and to the ground.

“Bitch. Interfering bitch.” He was kneeling over her and his fist lashed out and connected with her cheek. “Come on, guys, it’s party time.”

Pain.

Darkness.

Don’t give in to it.

She wouldn’t be raped by these bastards.

She shook her head to clear it, then her teeth sank into Frank Martinelli’s hand, the one that was holding her hair. He screamed and released it. She butted her head as hard as she could against Larazo’s chest.

She rolled sidewise and reached for the strap of her book bag. She slung it with all her force at Larazo’s head. She jumped to her feet and ran toward the front entrance.

Her way was blocked by the two other boys, who had been watching with wide grins.

“Get her,” Larazo said. “Don’t let her inside. Frank, go watch the street. I’m gonna make her scream. I want to—” His voice suddenly cut off into a gurgle. “Shit!”

Eve glanced over her shoulder. Someone, a dark-haired man, was standing behind Larazo, his arm around the boy’s neck. As she watched, he jerked Larazo’s head sidewise, lifted the edge of his hand, and brought it down in a karate chop.

He let Larazo drop to the ground and turned to Frank Martinelli. “Come on,” he said softly. “I haven’t had enough.”

Frank Martinelli hesitated and lunged forward, reaching for his switchblade. He barely got it out when he was whirled around, his arm twisted behind his back. He shrieked as his arm was pushed up higher and higher.

Eve heard the bone snap.

The other two boys who were blocking Eve’s path parted like the Red Sea and ran, leaving Larazo and Martinelli on the ground.

Martinelli was moaning and trying to crawl toward the street, but Larazo was still slumped, silent.

“Did you kill him?” Eve whispered. “You’d better go quickly. The people who live here never come out to help, but they do call the police. The cops don’t care who’s to blame; they take everyone in and book them.”

“I know. He’s not dead. I wouldn’t let a bastard like that ruin my life. I’ve got plans. He should be coming around in a few minutes.” The dark-haired man who had taken down Larazo and Martinelli came toward her. “You okay?”