Love's Tangled Web by Donna Taylor

Chapter 23

Their eyes locked, and Alex felt a surge of irritation. “What are you trying to say?” he asked, his voice sharp.

Ellie stepped back, opening the door wider for him to leave. But he just stood there, staring at her.

She pressed on. “From the moment Carlos brought me into the Warren family, everyone has been kind to me. But no matter how nice you all are, it’s not my home.”“

“Do you really have the nerve to say that again? Alex’s expression darkened as he stepped closer.

Ellie instinctively backed away until she was near the living room sofa.

Tears streamed down her face, and she choked out, “Tll say it a hundred times, a thousand times–the Warren family has been good to me and you’ve all treated me well, but you’re not my family and that’s not my home.”

to the coffee table with a loud bang, sending it

stepped back, putting some distance

a cold smile spreading across his face. “The Warren family has supported you for years, and now I see you never really considered us family,” he said, his voice filled

of control. “If you really saw me as family, you wouldn’t force me to help

strange street during a storm, not caring what happened to me. And if you truly thought of me as family, you wouldn’t

hands, Ellie pulled out the free bracelet and shoved it into Alex’s palm. “I may not have much, and your gift is something I could never afford, but I really don’t want

tightened his grip on Ellie’s wrist. “Tell me. What do you really mean? he demanded, his voice

owe the Warren family, and we’ll pay it back. If we can’t do it all at once, we’ll pay in installments. We can do anything. But I really don’t want to

bracelet tightly. This was the first time Ellie

from picking up the broken computer on the floor. “Targue with my grandpa and my mom all the

away from Alex’s grip, her determination stronger than when she had left the Warren family over three years ago. “Because they’re your family,