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Ash and Dare visibly tense, but Ren calmly takes a sip from his glass and then smirks at Lori. “A cute thing like you doesn’t want to see what’s behind these spectacles. Trust me,” he says with anunpleasant smile twisting his lips. “Dig your pink lipstick, by the way.”

Lori stares at him for a moment, probably checking himself out in the mirrored glasses. “It’s peach, but cheers. And you shouldn’t judge people solely on their appearances.”

The air feels heavy until Ash’s burp breaks the tension around us. I attack another slice while Ren and Lori reveal their aversion to Ash. I’m too lost in pizza paradise to care. Stringy, warm, sweet cheese, crunchy, not doughy or too thick crust, spicy, rich sausage and sour, smooth tomato sauce…perfection.

“You sound like a porn star. Hump that pizza and get it over with.” Lori makes kissing noises.

“It’s so good,” I say around a bite of indescribable deliciousness.

“Talk mozzarella dirty to me,” he deadpans. Then he leans toward the mic in my bracelet. “Serena, Daddy wants to order this pizza every Thursday.”

She replies with a confirmation in my ear.

“Are you talking to the intercom chick?” Ren frowns at us.

“Man, it was too good to be fucking true, he had to have some screw loose!” Ash raises his arms toward the sky.

“It’s my AI assistant.” Fuck, I didn’t want to spring her on them this early.

Dare freezes. “Your AI? As in you bought her or made her?”

“Made her.”

“A robot?” Ash asks, confused.

“AI isn’t just a robot, but an entire discipline. The goal of AI science is to build a computer system that is capable of modeling humanbehavior, so that it can use human-like thinking processes to solve complex problems. AI systems work by combining large sets of data with intelligent, iterative processing algorithms to learn from patterns and features in the data that they analyze. Does it test and measure its own performance and develop additional expertise?”

“That’s the longest Dare has ever talked…in his life,” Ren whispers.

“Serena,” I encourage her to reply.

“Yes, I do, Dare. I never need a break, I can run through millions of tasks quickly, learning a great deal in very little time. I’m extremely capable.”

“What have you been trained to accomplish? What’s your objective, Serena?” Dare asks, almost looking excited.

“Gathering information,” she quickly replies.

“Thank you, Serena,” I cut her off before she reveals too much.

“Can I get one too?” Ash asks.

“If you can build one,” I retort.

“Build how? With burps and insults?” Lori taunts him.

“Fuck you!” Lori throws a piece of crust at him. “Hey!” Ash yells.

“Negative reinforcement. Learn from it, offspring one!”

“Information. Is that why Hunter is working with you?” Dare is studying me. He must have learned that intense soul-searching stare from Grizzly.

“One of the reasons.” I bend over the table to grab a can of coke. I’m parched.

“Nice satin!” Lori smacks my ass. Not too hard, just a friendly slap. But the contact feels wrong. How can that be, when Hunter’s touch is so damn right?

I start drinking, and damn, coke is not bad! The shower of tickling bubbles on my tongue and in my throat all the way down feels nice, and the sweet, slightly bitter flavor adds a perfect kick to it.

“Stop! You’re turning me on, and I can’t bend you over my knees and give you a spanking in front of the children,” Lori jokes, waving his hand in the wicked trio’s general direction.