Queenpins of the Underworld

The Breaking Point

The days after the Vega party were a blur of tension and unspoken words. Dani and Vee buried themselves in work, managing their territory and overseeing operations with a precision that left no room for mistakes. But beneath the surface, the storm was brewing, threatening to tear them apart.

Dani had always known that life in their world was precarious, that every decision carried the weight of life and death. But the cracks in her and Vee's partnership—those cracks that had been slowly widening since Kara's arrival—were becoming too big to ignore.

They didn't talk about what happened at the party. The way Kara had looked at Dani, the possessiveness in Vee's eyes, the barely restrained tension in every word exchanged between them. It all festered in the silence between them, creating a rift that neither wanted to acknowledge.

But the breaking point was inevitable.

---

It started with a routine meeting at one of their safehouses—a small, nondescript building in the industrial part of town. Dani arrived first, as usual, checking her watch as she waited for Vee. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a flickering bulb overhead. The air was thick with the smell of old wood and cigarette smoke, the remnants of the last crew that had been there.

Vee arrived moments later, her expression as unreadable as ever. But Dani could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the way her shoulders sagged just a fraction more than usual. She knew that Vee hadn't been sleeping well; she hadn't either. How could they, with everything hanging in the balance?

"Any news from our informants?" Vee asked, getting straight to business as she tossed her jacket over the back of a chair.

Dani nodded, sliding a file across the table. "Nothing good. The Vega family is making moves. They've been cozying up to the Garcias, looking to strengthen their position in the East End."

Vee scowled as she flipped through the file. "Of course they are. Bastards are trying to box us in."

"It's more than that," Dani said, her voice low. "Kara's been seen with them."

Vee's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "Kara? What the hell is she doing with the Vegas?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," Dani replied, running a hand through her hair. "She's not just playing nice. There's something else going on, something bigger."

Vee leaned back in her chair, her jaw clenched. "We can't let them get the upper hand. We need to strike first."

"Agreed," Dani said, her mind racing with possibilities. "But we need to be smart about it. One wrong move, and we could lose everything."

Vee was silent for a moment, her eyes locked on the file in front of her. When she finally spoke, her voice was tight with anger. "This is Kara's doing. She's trying to fuck with us, to drive a wedge between us."

Dani swallowed hard, the tension in the room becoming almost unbearable. "We can't let her. We need to stay focused."

"Focused?" Vee shot back, her voice rising. "She's fucking with your head, Dani! And you're letting her!"

The accusation hung in the air, sharp and cutting. Dani's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of anger and guilt surging through her.

"You think I don't know that?" Dani retorted, her voice trembling with emotion. "You think I don't see what she's doing? But what do you want me to do, Vee? Ignore her? Pretend like she doesn't exist?"

Vee's eyes flashed with a mix of hurt and fury. "Yes, that's exactly what I want! I want you to stop letting her get under your skin, to stop letting her come between us!"