Queenpins of the Underworld

Cracks in the Foundation

The night outside was suffocating, thick with humidity and the remnants of summer heat that lingered in the air like a warning. Dani leaned against the cool brick wall of the alley behind the warehouse, a cigarette dangling from her lips. The end of it glowed bright in the darkness as she took a long drag, letting the smoke fill her lungs before she exhaled slowly. It was the only thing that calmed her nerves anymore—the burn of nicotine, the ritual of it.

But tonight, even that wasn't enough.

Vee had already gone back inside, no doubt to review the terms of their deal with Raul. Always in control, always thinking three steps ahead. Dani admired that about her, she really did. But sometimes, it felt like Vee was a million miles away, untouchable, even when she was standing right next to her.

She flicked the cigarette butt into a puddle and watched the ember sizzle out. The deal with Raul was a good one—she knew that. But something about the whole thing gnawed at her, a feeling she couldn't shake. It wasn't just Raul, with his smug smile and veiled threats. It was Vee. The way she had handled the meeting with such cold precision, like Dani hadn't even been there.

They were partners. They had built this empire together. But lately, Dani felt like she was losing Vee to something she couldn't name, some darkness that was slowly creeping into the space between them.

Dani pushed off the wall and headed back inside, her mind racing with thoughts she didn't want to examine too closely. The hallway leading to the office was dimly lit, the kind of place where shadows stretched long and secrets lingered in the corners. She could hear the low murmur of voices up ahead—Vee and Raul, finalizing the details.

She paused just outside the door, her hand hovering over the handle. Part of her wanted to burst in, to remind Vee that she was still here, still a part of this. But she hesitated, her fingers curling into a fist at her side. What would it change? Vee would just give her that look—the one that said she was overreacting, that she needed to trust the process.

Trust.

It was a funny thing, in their line of work. Everyone talked about it, but no one really believed in it. And maybe that's what was really bothering Dani. How could she trust Vee when she couldn't even figure out what was going on in her own head?

The door creaked open before she could decide, and Raul stepped out, his expression unreadable. He gave her a nod, that same smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Until next time, Dani," he said smoothly, before disappearing down the hallway.

Dani watched him go, her skin crawling. She didn't trust him, and she didn't trust this deal. But more than that, she didn't trust what it would do to her and Vee.

She stepped into the office, finding Vee seated at the desk, her focus already on the stack of papers in front of her. The room felt too cold, too sterile after what had just gone down. Dani shut the door behind her, trying to find the right words, the ones that wouldn't sound like an accusation.

"You really think this is going to work?" she asked, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.

Vee didn't look up. "It'll work," she said, her voice steady, confident. "Raul knows he's better off with us than against us. We'll have control of the entire East Side by the end of the month."

"Yeah, but at what cost?"

That got Vee's attention. She finally looked up, her dark eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

Dani sighed, pushing off the wall to pace the length of the room. "I mean, what happens when he decides he wants more? Or when he thinks we're getting too strong? You think he's just going to let that slide?"

Vee's expression softened, but there was still that edge, that distance. "Dani, this is what we've been working toward. We need allies, even if they're temporary. It's the only way to expand, to stay ahead of the competition."

Dani stopped in her tracks, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "And what if that competition ends up being us? What if he turns on us the second he gets a chance?"

Vee leaned back in her chair, her gaze never leaving Dani. "Then we'll deal with it. The same way we've dealt with everything else."

There it was again—that calm, calculated approach that made Dani feel like she was being dismissed. Like her concerns didn't matter. She hated feeling this way, like she was the one out of control, spiraling while Vee stayed perfectly composed.

But this was different. This wasn't just another deal, another risk they were taking. This was a man who could destroy everything they had built if they weren't careful.

"Vee, I just—" Dani started, but the words caught in her throat. She didn't know how to say what she was really feeling, how to put into words the knot of fear and anger and something else that was twisting inside her.

Vee stood up, moving around the desk until she was right in front of Dani. She reached out, resting a hand on Dani's arm, her touch firm but gentle. "Dani, I need you to trust me. I know what I'm doing. We're going to get through this, together."

Together.

Dani wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that they were still in this together, that nothing had changed between them. But the truth was, something had changed. And she couldn't ignore it any longer.

She nodded, forcing herself to meet Vee's gaze. "Yeah. Okay."

Vee gave her a small smile, the kind that usually made Dani feel like everything would be alright. But tonight, it felt hollow, like it was just another mask Vee was wearing.

"Get some rest," Vee said, stepping back. "We've got a long day tomorrow."

Dani watched her for a moment longer, searching for something—anything—that would tell her Vee was feeling even a fraction of what she was. But Vee had already turned back to the desk, her attention back on the papers in front of her.

With a heavy heart, Dani turned and left the room, her footsteps echoing down the empty hallway. The night outside was as stifling as before, but this time, it wasn't just the heat that made it hard to breathe.

As she walked toward her car, Dani couldn't shake the feeling that she was losing something, something more important than their empire. She just didn't know if it was Vee, or herself.