Forbidden Duke (Princes of Avce Book 4) Read online

  She stopped and picked up a drink from a waiter and turned around.

  This was her life. These were here people. She glanced around the room. She’d painted half of these people already in one way or the other as dark creatures longing for something more.

  Not that anyone would ever see her paintings.

  Not that she wanted them too.

  She sipped her drink and remembered holding Cristian. Her arms ached though she sipped the wine that tasted sour to her lips. Good was supposed to be in this world too and not just these mindless games and people where nothing mattered.

  Her heart pounded that she was in the wrong place. She put her glass down on a table and decided she didn’t need to be here.

  Tonight was her last night before she transformed herself into whatever this Duc Astorre Manfredi wanted her to be. She’d figure that out once she actually met him. She could play any part.

  But for now, it was best to go. She kept her shoulders high, smiled and made her way out the door.

  The valet hadn’t even moved her car yet. Perfect. She slipped him her last five euros and took her keys back.

  No one noticed her as she drove off, and headed home.

  Her parents would be at her sister’s for hours. There was time and for the last time Chelsea needed to do something for herself. She needed to never forget Cristian’s coo or the emptiness her friends made her feel. Tonight she’d find a way to express that in a painting no one would ever see.

  Perhaps then she’d find a way to let whatever bothered her go. Life wasn’t supposed to be boring. At least not hers.

  As she found her way to her hidden studio in the wrecked part of the house no one fixed up, she prayed that the emptiness wasn’t part of her soul forever. She wasn’t sure how to survive if she was truly one of the lost that she was about to paint.

  Princes of Avce

  Forbidden Crown

  Forbidden Prince

  Forbidden Royal

  Forbidden Duke

  Forbidden Earl

  Forbidden Monsieur

  Also by Victoria Pinder

  Returning for Valentine’s (FREE if you go to my website)

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  Secret Baby

  Secret Bet

  Secret Wish

  Secret Dad

  Secret Heir

  Secret Tryst

  Secret Date

  Princes of Avce

  Forbidden Crown

  Forbidden Prince

  Forbidden Royal

  Forbidden Duke

  Forbidden Earl

  Forbidden Monsieur

  The Hawke Fortune

  Tempting Gabe

  Tempting James

  Tempting Conner

  Tempting Harry

  Tempting Navid

  Brothers in Revenge

  Irresistibly Charming

  Irresistibly Tough (Coming Soon)

  Irresistibly Played (Coming Soon)

  A Frosted Game of Hearts

  Winter Peril

  Stormy Peril

  Icy Peril

  The Marshall Family Saga

  Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush

  Favorite Coffee, Favorite Mistake

  Favorite Coffee, Favorite Sin

  Favorite Coffee, Favorite Scandal

  The Collins Brothers

  Chaperoning Paris

  Borrowing the Doctor

  Electing Love

  Keeping the Spy

  Keeping the Captain

  Then if you also like Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance

  Hidden Dragon Series

  Call of the Dragon

  Dawn of the Dragon (Coming Soon)

  The Queen Gene

  Whispers of a Throne

  Storm of the Throne (coming soon)

  Earthseekers Mission

  Makeup May Change Your Life

  The Zoastra Affair

  Ancient Greek Heroes

  Mything You

  Mything the Throne

  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author, Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.

  Visit my website and download a free novel

  www.victoriapinder.com

  [email protected]