Beneath His Armor

CHAPTER EIGHT _ SHADOWS CLOSE IN

The next morning, I couldn’t get out of bed.

My mind kept replaying everything from yesterday. Elena’s call. The folders on Dante’s computer. The warning.

I knew one thing clearly I had crossed a line.

And now, I didn’t know if I could come back.

After what felt like hours, I forced myself up. My body was stiff, my hands shaking slightly. I washed my face in cold water, hoping it would wake me. It didn’t.

I dressed quickly, grabbed my bag, and left my apartment. The city felt the same, but somehow smaller. Narrower. Threatening.

Each step toward the office felt heavier than the last.

When I reached the building, security looked at me differently. Not with suspicion. With caution. And maybe fear.

I walked through the lobby, trying to act normal. But my heart raced so fast, I was sure it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

At my desk, I sat down slowly, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Nothing. Not a single email. Not a single message.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

And that scared me.

By late morning, Keller came to me again.

“Aria,” he said quietly, “you need to tell me everything you know about the computer access yesterday.”

I froze. My stomach dropped.

“I… I don’t know anything,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady.

He frowned. “Don’t lie to me.”

I shook my head. “I’m not lying. I just… I didn’t open anything. I was too scared.”

Keller studied me, his eyes sharp. He looked like he could see right through me.

“You’re scared for a reason,” he said. “You need to be careful. Someone is watching. Someone dangerous. And Dante he might already know more than you realize.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

“How much does he know?” I whispered.

Keller didn’t answer. He just nodded at me and walked away.

I stayed at my desk, my hands trembling. I wanted to call Dante. I wanted to ask him if he was okay. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.

The risk was too high.

I spent the rest of the morning pretending to work, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking about Dante. About the hand I had touched, the way he had looked at me.

And now I realized something terrifying. I cared. Too much.

By afternoon, I decided to check the files again. Just a little. Just to see if there was anything I could use without hurting him.

The computer was still on, still locked. I sat down slowly.

Then, my heart stopped.

Dante was there.

Not in the office. Not in the building. He appeared in the reflection on the screen. I froze.

He stepped closer.

I tried to look calm, but my hands shook.

“Aria,” he said quietly, “why are you here?”

“I… I’m just working,” I stammered.

His eyes narrowed slightly. Not angry. Just suspicious.

“You’ve been opening things,” he said. “Files. You shouldn’t touch.”

I felt my chest tighten. “I didn’t”

“Don’t lie,” he interrupted.

I swallowed hard. “I… I was curious. I wanted to make sure”

“Make sure of what?”

That question stopped me. I had no answer. Because the truth was, I was curious about him. About who he really was. Not the lies the agency told me. Not the mission.

I looked down, ashamed.

Dante’s expression softened slightly. Just slightly.

“You’re in danger,” he said. “And so am I.”

I looked up quickly. “What do you mean?”

“There are people who want to hurt me,” he explained. “And they will use anyone close to me. That includes you.”

I nodded, my stomach twisting. “I know.”

“No, Aria,” he said sharply. “You don’t know. Not yet.”

His words hung in the air. I could feel the tension pressing down on me.

For the next few hours, I stayed at my desk, but I barely moved. I was waiting for him. Waiting for some sign that he trusted me. That he believed I wasn’t trying to hurt him.

By evening, Dante came back to the office quietly. No one noticed him. He didn’t say a word to anyone.

He went straight to his office.

I followed, careful not to make it obvious.

When I entered, he was at his desk, but his hands were clenched. His jaw was tight. His eyes dark.

“Sit,” he said finally.

I did, slowly.

We sat in silence. Too much silence.

Then he looked up at me. His eyes searched mine. “Aria you’re hiding something.”

I shook my head quickly. “No. I’m not.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he said again. “Not now.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Finally, I whispered, “I… I want to help you.”

He leaned back, studying me. “You want to help me or yourself?”

I froze. His question hit me harder than any warning or threat ever could.

“I… I want to help you,” I said again. But this time, my voice was weaker. More uncertain.

He leaned forward slowly. “You’re in this deeper than you realize. Every choice you make matters. And right now you’re walking a line you shouldn’t cross.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. My hands were clammy.

“I won’t make a mistake,” I whispered.

“You already have,” he said softly. “But it’s not too late to fix it. For both of us.”

My chest tightened. I didn’t understand how he could make it sound like hope and threat at the same time.

Then he stood. “Go home. Rest. Think carefully about what you’re doing. I need you sharp, Aria. Not careless.”

I nodded and left the office slowly, my head spinning.

Outside, the city felt alive, but dangerous. Every shadow seemed bigger. Every sound louder.

When I got home, my phone buzzed. Unknown number.

I hesitated, then answered.

“Aria,” a voice said. Calm. Cold. Threatening.

“Who is this?” I whispered.

“You know who I am,” the voice said.

Fear crawled through my veins. I couldn’t move.

“Leave me alone,” I whispered.

“Too late,” the voice replied. “You’re part of this now. And if you fail the consequences will be worse than anything you can imagine.”

The call ended.

I dropped the phone. My hands shook.

I didn’t know who they were talking about. Me? Dante? The agency?

All I knew the game had just become bigger.

And I was standing in the middle of it.

I pressed my face into my hands, whispering, “What have I done?”

The next morning, I walked into the office with my heart pounding.

Security was tighter. Everyone looked on edge.

Keller approached me quickly. “Aria you need to come with me. Now.”

I followed him without a word, my stomach twisting.

He led me to a private room I hadn’t seen before. It was cold. Bare. Quiet.

Inside, Dante was waiting. Not at his desk. Not behind the glass. Just standing there, watching.

His eyes softened slightly when they landed on me. “You need to trust me,” he said quietly.

“I do,” I whispered, though my heart wasn’t sure.

“Then listen carefully,” he said. “Everything you’ve seen, everything you’ve been told it’s not what it seems. You have to stay sharp. Stay alive. And stay close to me. Because if you don’t it won’t just be you who suffers.”

I nodded, my hands trembling.

“Do you understand?” he asked.

“Yes,” I whispered.

He studied me again, then turned and walked out.

I stood there, frozen, my heart racing.

I had never been so afraid.

And yet I had never felt more alive.

Because now I knew I wasn’t just working for a mission anymore.

I was working for him.

And nothing no threat, no danger, no lies would stop me from protecting Dante Moretti.