Page 220 of Solanum

"I don't think I like surprises…" As if the world suddenly crushed in on her, she folded her hands close to her chest as the anxiety visibly overcame her.

I climbed back up to her, keeping myself one step down to look her squarely in the eye. I ran my knuckle over her cheek, and she leaned into my touch.

"It's a sexy surprise, honey. Nothing else."

She shifted her weight and glanced behind me. "Can you…turn the light on?"

"Of course." I flipped the second switch beside us that illuminated the entire downstairs rather than just the steps. "Better?"

She nodded and held her hands to me. "Sorry…"

"Don't be." I plucked her off the step and she wrapped herself around me. "We come down here often, baby. What's got you nervous?" I closed the door behind us, locking it from the inside the way Sali intended with the renovation, then toted her down. All the way, I kissed her neck in time with each step.

She squeezed me tight and raked her teeth over my shoulder. "My brain interprets surprise differently sometimes."

"I'm sorry, Kitten." I patted her rear and she leaned back to look at me when we landed at the bottom.

To our right, Sali's home gym now appeared like a fully developed workout space. One of every kind of essential workout equipment circled around the newly padded floors. The thick mat in the center for sparring now shone with newness. Even the walls and paneling appeared different.

"Wow." Nora put her feet down to stand on her own while she looked around. "I feel like we just walked into an actual sports club or something."

"They renovated the whole thing. Looks good," I reflected, pointing to the framed medals and awards on the wall beside a glass box with martial arts belts. "Maggie's martial arts accolades."

"Yeah." Nora smiled while admiring them. "Look at this cute picture of her in her Army uniform. Oh my God." Nora snickered and tapped the frame. "So cute."

I chuckled and nodded while we browsed a few of the photos on the memorabilia wall. "It's the only one she allows Sali to put up because it was when she won a match while still enlisted or something. Sali's training wasn't as formal, but she has her belts up." I pointed to the second structure beside Maggie's. "Always impressive."

"Unlike ours. We've got T-shirts and workout clothes with FBI and Quantico written all over them though. They'll last a lifetime."

"Yup."

Nora pointed out a photo of Sali and Ben in Walsh's office, circa a very long time ago. All of them obviously younger, but Sali most likely wasn't even thirty yet.

"She looks more like Harper there…"

"Yeah. I can see that. Wonder who took that picture," I said.

"Good question. They look badass for sure."

"Sure do. Walsh is still just as balding."

Nora snickered. "He'll be bald soon enough." She turned to me now. "You wanted to show me Sali's gym?"

"Nah." I winked at her then turned toward the closed door on the other side of the stairs. "What I want to show you is in there."

"Okay…" She took my hand when I extended it to her. "Why is there a bio lock on this?"

"To keep out Olivia and subsequent kids that pop out of Harper's vagina." I pressed my thumb to the pad when it prompted, and the door clicked open. "Remind me to ask Sali how she got my fingerprints."

"Does it work with mine?"

"Let's see." I closed the door again, and the bio lock turned red when it secured. "Try."

Nora repeated my gesture and the door opened for her as well. "That's creepy."

I chuckled and nodded. "But good." I stepped inside with Nora in tow and flicked on the light.

The previously white-on-white unused space transformed into a magazine-perfect setup. On the wall to our left, a huge flat screen television hung above a gray wooden shelf vacant of décor. Across from it sat an extra-large dark gray sofa that appeared almost as a king size bed. Decorative pillows lined the back of it and a matching throw blanket hung over the arm. The black hardwood floors met our feet, and the lush area rugs covered it in all the right places.

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