Page 3 of Clear Shot

Worry winds through my gut, leaving me anxious.

“What’s going on?” I repeat.

He sighs and rests on the edge of his desk. “Once the company officially closes its doors, which will happen in the next few days, we can no longer hold your visa.”

The air leaves my lungs in a rush.

I assumed that once I had the visa, which was good for two years, I could just find another job. I didn’t even consider that the visa itself was connected to VineTech.

“What…” I shake my head, trying to clear my racing thoughts. “I don’t…”

“I’m so sorry, Hana. I spoke to our attorney this morning—that’s who I was arguing with before the meeting. I fought for you, but it’s out of my control. As soon as we officially go out of business, you’ll have seven days to leave the country.”

Chapter 2

Aiden

“Aiden,can we just go back to the hotel now?”

“In a minute, honey. Let me finish my pizza.” She’s draped over me like a warm blanket, and I run my hand over her ass. The blonde is all boobs and ass, my favorite things, but I’m distracted.

My teammates and I—the guys I play with on the Lauderdale Knights—are getting deep dish pizza after a game in Chicago and it seems like the puck bunnies swooped in the second we arrived. Felix Lessard, Jordan Palmer, and I are in heaven since we’re single, but I can tell the guys who are in relationships are getting annoyed.

I’m all about a good out-of-town hookup, but something’s going on with my friends and I’m trying to simultaneously eat, listen, and keep the blonde entertained until it’s time to go.

“…whole company just shut down,” Johan Hajek is saying. “No warning.”

Anders Nyberg shakes his head. “They had a meeting yesterday morning and told everyone. And today, when Hana got there, everything was closed up tight. She was supposed to meet with the company attorney about her visa but Randy had locked the place up. She looked in the windows and everything was gone.”

“He just disappeared into the night?” Decker Reese asks in confusion. “It sounds like this guy is the one who took the money, not the partner.”

I’m only catching bits and pieces because the blonde has her tongue in my ear.

Jesus.

I’m all about sex—almost any time, anywhere, any way.

But not in a restaurant while I’m eating.

“Can I please eat?” I ask her quietly.

“Well, hurry.” Her eyes twinkle with mischief, something that normally turns me on.

Instead, I’m just getting annoyed.

“I don’t understand,” I interject. “Hana and Claudia’s company just shut down?” Hana is Johan’s sister, and Claudia is Anders’s wife. They’re best friends and I know them both well. We all spend a lot of time together.

Hana and I were friendly for a while but she distanced herself after she got this job since she lives in Philadelphia most of the time and travels a lot for work. Well, she did. I don’t know what’s happening now.

“It’s the craziest thing,” Anders continues. “Randy said that Glen took off with the money in the operating account. He promised to split what was left in some other account with the employees and he’d have checks for them this morning. When they got there, everything was gone. Like they’d never been there. From what Hana could see through the windows, there wasn’t even a trash can left.”

“It’s bullshit,” Johan mutters. “I don’t trust these start-up tech guys.” He makes a face.

“Same.” Decker shakes his head. “I’m glad Eden works locally.”

“Anders.” The blonde purrs in my ear and my dick stirs.

But I’m still invested in the conversation with my friends.