Aligned by Jaci Wheeler Read Free Book Online

even have access to the floor. Since I’ve never been to Dex’s office, I ask Aspen which one is his. I walk in and see who I assume to be Karl sitting at his desk in the front office. He’s younger, most likely around Aspen’s age, and a good looking, well-dressed guy. He reminds me of a younger version of Samuel. He has a flirty, easygoing way about him.
    “Well if it isn’t the president herself in flesh and blood. You are even better looking than I thought you’d be,” he teases me. “Dexter is ready for you so go ahead on back.”
    I’d never admit it but I am secretly happy Dex doesn’t have a cute young girl working for him. “Thanks, Karl, it’s nice to meet you.” I knock on Dex’s door and walk in.
    He looks up from his desk with a smile on his rugged face. It doesn’t matter how many times I see his scarred, beautiful face…it gets me every time.
    “Hi, come on in please. Is everything okay?”
    “I’m not sure. I’m a bit frustrated, and before meeting with the whole Council I wanted to run some things by you first if you don’t mind.”
    “Of course.”
    “I just came back from the OC and I’m pretty confused. I thought the people wanted this, and I thought Malik wanted this. However, it turns out they are resentful that I opened their gates. I thought this is what we worked so hard for, though after I had a chance to talk to Malik and hear their side of things I’m at a loss as to what to do.”
    Dex frowns. “Roz, I don’t know what you were expecting. Of course they are upset—this is their home, their way of life. Everything they worked so hard for is about to change. Having the ban lifted is a huge plus in some ways, but opening the gates and allowing anyone who wants to come in—that’s terrifying for them.”
    “Why are you only telling me about this now?” I ask, frustration seeping into my voice.
    “Tell you what exactly? Even if I had told you, it’s not like you would be able to understand how they feel. Look at your life, Rosaline, really look at it. You come from an amazing home, you have two parents who love you and have only ever treated you right, and the whole country puts you on a pedestal. How are you supposed to understand them when all they’ve ever known is pain?”
    His statement cuts like a knife.
    “I can’t believe you of all people can say that to me, Dexter. I thought you knew me better than that. Yes, I did come from an amazing home. I have wonderful parents who love me unconditionally, I have friends and a good job, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know pain. This last year I felt more pain than I ever thought possible. I went into prisons and saw the horrible living conditions, I had to watch a man slowing dying from pneumonia and lack of care, all because he was protecting his daughter, and it hurt me so bad because there was nothing I could do to help him.”
    “I felt pain so deep I thought I would bleed when a little boy told me he was going to die and there was nothing anyone could do to save him. I felt like my heart was torn out when I saw his mother try to hide her own grief and share in his joy of seeing a monkey for the first time and knowing it would also be his last.”
    “I have to remember to breathe when I look at Grace’s sweet face and see all the hurt hiding just beneath the surface. To know all the things that have happened to you, all the ways you’ve been mistreated and abused and not being able to take any of them away is a pain I can’t even describe.”
    “So no, Dexter, while maybe I haven’t had to go through physical pain, the pain I feel from others is certainly real, and I go through it every day with the weight of a country on my shoulders, knowing all it takes is the slightest wrong move and it will come crashing down. That is a pain nobody bears but me. I have pain, and I also have responsibility nobody else has. Those people can hide behind their anger and blame the Ministry. The Council conveniently hides