The elevator doors opened.
Two of my men entered first, sweeping the small space with their eyes before settling at the back corners.
I stepped on.
Yoichi entered behind me. The rest of my guards filed in. The doors slid shut. The elevator began to rise.
I watched him. "Tingling bones warning of oncoming evil."
Yoichi nodded once. "It started about twenty minutes ago. A low hum along the marrow. I have learned not to ignore it. Most of the time, it means something bad is coming."
"This scares me."
"I don’t want to scare you, but I do want to have you prepared and protected." His eyes stayed on the doors. "My body has carried this warning system since I was very young. The trouble is. . .it does not always tell me what kind of danger is on the way. Only that danger is on the way."
"What do you mean?"
"My bones do not know the difference between aphysicalthreat or anemotionalone. For example, a bullet or a sentence."
“Ah.”
The elevator climbed past the second floor.
He continued, "This tingling however. . .was much stronger than usual which made me think. . .get the Tiger somewhere safe. Then handle whatever comes."
The elevator climbed past the second floor's halfway mark.
I directed my gaze to the doors too. “And just in case. . .you want me to dress for comfort?”
“And perhaps. . .dressed to run.”
My heart kicked against my ribs. “Then, that is what I will do.”
The elevator stopped at the third floor, and the doors slid open.
I stepped off.
Yoichi and two of my men followed. The rest peeled off—three at the elevator, two heading for the stairwell, one ducking into the back hall.
When we got to the bedroom, Yoichi opened the door and stepped in first. He swept the room with his eyes and then stepped aside. "All is well. I will be right outside."
"Thank you."
He closed the door behind me.
Dress to run. . .
Chapter thirty
Not the Dragon
Nyomi
Icrossedthebedroomand pushed open the door to the walk-in closet.
The space lit up as I stepped inside. Designer dresses hung in color-graded rows along the longest wall. Cashmere sweaters were folded in stacks on open shelving.
Kenji’s clothes were on the other side.
