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This is already better than television.

“Preston.”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you using my son?”

“I wasn't using him.”

Pierre leans toward the phone.

“He paid me.”

Xavier goes completely still.

I turn toward our child.

“He what?”

Preston says quickly, “It wasn't real money.”

Pierre looks personally wounded.

“You said equity.”

I cover my mouth.

Xavier stares at the phone.

“Equity in what?”

“Future venture.”

“What future venture?”

A pause.

“Still structuring that.”

I begin laughing.

Xavier shoots me a look.

I can't help it.

“You gave a five-year-old equity for hacking a girl's school records?”

“I asked for publicly available intelligence.”

Pierre says, “Student schedules aren't public.”

Another pause.

“Okay, that part may have evolved.”

Xavier's jaw tightens.

“Who is she?”