Moments of Julian Read Online Free PDF

have to get
about an hour and a half off work. I’ll let the powers that be
know.”
    I’m proud of my brother, even if I’m
constantly afraid for his life.
    “ Speaking of your work,”
Dad says. “Didn’t you all just have some sort of ball, or
something?”
    “ It was a banquet,” I say
for what feels like the twentieth time. “And it was just fine.
Packed, but fine.”
    “ Seemed a little more than
fine,” Kale says around a mouthful of food. He says it without
looking at me. “You should have seen her bloody expensive dress all
ripped and in a pile on the floor Saturday morning.”
    My mouth opens and closes but words
seem to forget how to form on my lips just then.
    “ Oo,” Kaylee coos. “Did
you meet someone interesting Friday night?”
    “ I…I…” The words just
aren’t coming.
    “ Must have been a bang and
dash,” Kale continues the humiliation. “There was no one to be
found when I got in. Just a passed out Sage.”
    “ Kale Christophe McCain!”
Mom screeches. “You will not use that kind of language in my
house!”
    “ Kale in twoubow!” Lucian
pipes up and we all hear him snicker.
    Smiles and laughter spread around the
table but it isn’t distraction enough. All eyes turn back to
me.
    I can tell my face is horribly red,
but there’s no getting out of this.
    “ Fine,” I say. “I did meet
someone at the banquet, but nothing really came of it and since I
forgot to ask his name, I know I won’t be seeing him
again.”
    “ Oh, the shame continues!”
Drake laughs. “Not even asking the name of a hook up is
low!”
    “ Just stop it, okay!” I
cry, smiling even though I feel humiliated. “Nothing really
happened!”
    I pretend for everyone, even for my
family sometimes. I put on a strong face and nothing can penetrate
through my thick skin.
    But sometimes being accused of
something you feel very strongly about hurts.
    Because the truth is, I haven’t had
sex with anyone since my senior year of high school. And I don’t
plan on changing that anytime soon.
    No one in my family knows I’ve made an
abstinence commitment.
    So times like these are hard and
honestly, emotionally draining.
    But I’m Sage McCain, and I’m strong
and nothing gets to me. At least on the outside.

CHAPTER THREE

    “ This is going to be a
huge deal if we can close this.”
    I sit in Mr. Maxwell’s office, holding
the file out to him. Everything about his posture and the tenseness
in his eyes says he’s still a bit peeved about the rumors that
started being spread on Friday, and it’s now Wednesday. The man can
hold a grudge when he wants to.
    Finally, he takes the file and looks
it over.
    Gretch managed to smuggle a lead away
from the sales team and into my inbox this morning for the largest
bank in Toronto. It’s a huge chain that stretches through most of
Canada. With over sixty locations they’re a huge commodity. And
apparently they are looking to cut ties with their current
financial security company because of breaches.
    “ Hmm,” he huffs. He
scratches his beard and turns the page. “Have you spoken to them
yet?”
    “ I will give them a call
as soon as you give me approval,” I say, sitting up slightly
straighter. “I just wanted to check with you first since we’re just
starting to branch out into other countries.”
    “ I think this could be a
good start,” he says, closing the file and handing it back to me.
“I want you to give their CEO a call and see if you can get an
appointment to meet with them face to face. If you can close this
deal, I think you’ll be looking at another bonus.”
    “ I won’t close this deal
for the money, sir,” I say as a smile curls on my face. “But thank
you anyway.”
    He nods and I see the smallest of
smiles curl on his lips.
    He’s playing the hard ass, but I can
tell I’m forgiven.
    Even if I didn’t need to be forgiven,
seeing as I did nothing wrong.
    Gretch places the call for me and
transfers it over. It takes me a total of two