Queenpins of the Underworld

Unfinished Business

The sun had long set by the time Dani returned to the apartment, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across the room. The city outside was alive with its usual nocturnal chaos—sirens wailing in the distance, cars honking, the occasional shout or burst of laughter from the streets below. But inside, the apartment was unnervingly silent, the air thick with tension.

Vee was sitting up in bed when Dani walked in, her face pale and drawn, the strain of the past few days evident in the dark circles under her eyes. The relief that Dani had felt when she first saw Vee awake was now mingled with anxiety—things were far from over, and they both knew it.

"How's Tyrell?" Vee asked, her voice low, as if she didn't want to disturb the fragile peace that had settled over the room.

Dani hesitated, unsure of how much to tell Vee. Tyrell had been handling things admirably in their absence, but there had been complications—unwanted attention from rival gangs, questions from their own men about what had happened, whispers of betrayal.

"He's holding it down," Dani said, choosing her words carefully. "But things are getting tense. Word's spread about what happened with Marcus. Some of the other crews are sniffing around, trying to see if we're vulnerable."

Vee's expression hardened, a familiar steely resolve settling over her features. "We can't afford to show any weakness. Not now."

"I know," Dani replied, her jaw tightening. "Tyrell's keeping them in check, but we need to move fast. We need to remind them who's in charge."

A shadow passed over Vee's face, and for a moment, Dani wondered if she'd said too much, if Vee was ready to dive back into the fray so soon. But Vee was nothing if not stubborn, and the look in her eyes told Dani that there was no convincing her to stand down.

"I'll be up and moving by tomorrow," Vee said, her tone brooking no argument. "We need to take care of this, Dani. The longer we wait, the more ground we lose."

Dani opened her mouth to protest, to remind Vee that she was still recovering from a gunshot wound, that she needed to rest, but the words died in her throat. She knew Vee wouldn't listen, knew that once Vee had made up her mind, there was no changing it.

"We need to be smart about this," Dani said instead, leaning against the edge of the bed. "We go in, we show them we're still in control, but we don't take unnecessary risks. We can't afford to lose any more men."

Vee nodded, her expression unreadable. "Agreed. But we also can't let them think we're weak. If we don't handle this decisively, we'll be fighting off challenges from every corner of the city."

Dani hated the truth in Vee's words. The world they lived in didn't allow for half-measures; any sign of hesitation, any hint of vulnerability, would be seized upon by their enemies. It was a harsh reality, one they had both been forced to learn the hard way.

"What's the plan?" Vee asked, her eyes locked on Dani's.

Dani hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She had spent the past few days going over their options, trying to find a way to neutralize the threat without putting Vee—or themselves—in any more danger. But every plan she came up with seemed to lead to the same conclusion: they would have to take a direct approach, confront the rival gangs head-on, and send a clear message.

"There's a meeting," Dani finally said, her voice tight. "Tyrell's arranged it with the leaders of the other crews. We need to show up, make it clear that Marcus's death changes nothing. That we're still in charge."

Vee's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt crossing her features. "And you trust Tyrell with this? With keeping the peace?"

Dani's gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, uncertainty gnawing at her. Tyrell was loyal—he had proven that time and time again—but the situation was volatile. One wrong move, one slip-up, and everything could come crashing down.