“I want you to, but this is for your business. You can sell it if you want. Just make sure you make me some.”
“I’ll bring you the spirit when I come to deliver the samples,” Mac announced.
Excited, Deltta got into the hover pod. “You’re coming to the capital? When?”
“Soon. I’ll let you know. And…” Mac hesitated.
“And?”
“I need to tell you something.”
Sounds ominous, Deltta paused.
Was he ending it with him? What could he possibly want to talk about?
“I’ll see you soon then.” Deltta dropped his connector in his lap, burying his face in his hands.
What the hell? Couldn’t he be happy for five minutes?
Clearly not.
He reached for the controllers and drifted out of the parking dome. Talking to Mac threw him off, he even forgot everything that happened earlier. But it all came back as he drifted onto the airway that ran through the national district where all the official members of the council of alphas lived. The houses were big and expensive. Deltta focused on a specific one. He wondered if Pharyi was inside, living his best life after he destroyed his.
His hands tightened on the controllers. Fuck, he hated him. He couldn’t wait to see him pay for everything he’d done.
Chapter 16
Mac
After days of creating, refining, and polishing his new spirits; and trying very hard not to think about Deltta and their upcoming conversation, Mac was ready for the sampling event. Excitement buzzed through his veins as he poured the samples into tiny glasses and loaded them onto the serving bots. If Faria’s customers love the spirits, Mac was sure Ashur, Delight’s owner, would love them too.
Jamue wrung his hands. “I’m nervous.”
Mac’s hands shook a little, but he refused to be nervous until he was in the capital. Ashur was the one they had to impress. Faria’s customers were his test subjects. There was still room to improve the samples if they didn’t like something.
“Are you ready? I’m going to open the doors now,” Faria said, walking to the table.
Mac looked up. “What are you talking about?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Jamue asked.
“Tell me what?”
“That’s why I’m nervous. Faria turned the sampling into a whole thing. He’s charging a fee at the door. I thought he told you.” Jamue turned to Faria, anger marring his face. “Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Because he doesn’t need to know. He asked to use my customers as test subjects. I saw it as a business opportunity. Everybody wins.” Faria shrugged.
“There has to be something wrong with that,” Jamue argued.
“Did you tell them the samples are limited?” Mac asked. He didn’t care what Faria did in his leisure room. He wasn’t paying him for his equipment or his customers’ feedback, which was a win for him.
Pleased with himself, Faria turned to Jamue. “That’s why there’s a fee. The leisure room would be packed if the sampling event was open to everyone. Only a few will taste Mac’s delicious spirits. And they’ll want more. Mac might not be working for me anymore, but he’s an asset to my leisure room. For every new product you make, I’ll host a sampling event for it.”
“That’s…” Jamue opened his mouth to complain again. Mac shushed him.
“That’s what I agreed to. We don’t have the capital to buy equipment for now. And besides, this is free advertising. Faria will have no choice but to buy the spirits if his customers like them. We have our first client as of tonight. Everybody wins,” he threw his words back at him.
Faria walked to the door in a huff. “Send the serving bots out. I’m opening the door.”