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“It will be fine.” Anthony smiled, but Freddie knew that it hid the fear and anxiety that he himself was feeling.

“Maybe you can talk to him again, try to convince him—”

“You heard him, Freddie, his mind is made up.” Anthony shoved his score into his shoulder bag with too much force, straining the canvas. “This is just how it is.”

Freddie wracked his brain, running through potential attack scenarios. “I could hide up on the catwalk.”

“That would be better than being in the audience? You’d be the same distance away. Maybe farther.”

Freddie paced around the now-empty rehearsal room, full of uncharacteristic nervous energy and needing a place to put it.

“The backstage is enormous. I’d blend into the shadows. No one would realize.”

Anthony shook his head. “You don’t think Mr. Fitzpatrick won’t notice that your seat is vacant, after he specifically forbade me from having you backstage? And again, how far away will you need to be to stay hidden? There are plenty of areas where the first row is closer than where you’d be.”

“There has to be a solution that keeps you safe.”

Anthony closed his eyes, sighing, and pulled his chin to his chest, stretching his neck. “I don’t see it, Freddie. You’ll just have to be in the audience.”

Freddie came to an abrupt stop by the black upright piano. This was not acceptable. His purpose was to protect Anthony. If he couldn’t do that, he had no purpose at all.

“This isn’t worth it. It’s not safe.”

Anthony’s face went blank. “This is the most important job of my career so far.”

“You’ll be in danger.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“No.” Freddie began to pace again, caught in his roiling worry. “If I can’t be by your side to protect you, you can’t do it.”

Anthony’s eyes flashed, and he clenched and unclenched his fists.

“You think because you’ve had your dick in me you can dictate what I do? Just because you declare that I’m some sort of magical boyfriend for you, I have to follow your rules? Fuck that. This is my life. I make the decisions. You’re either okay with that or you can get out.”

Freddie froze. He knew he was treading on thin ice, but every drop of his vampire blood cried out to safeguard his mate. His demon was screaming.

“Anthony, please—”

“No.” He turned his back to Freddie, starting out the door. “I have a fitting. Either come along and support me, or leave. I honestly don’t care.”