Under Her Skin (20 page)

Tobias looked over to where Marlo stood in complete shock. He never wanted anything bad to happen to her, and now this woman was dragging her through the coals all because she couldn't have Tobias again. "This interview is over, as well as your career." Tobias stood up and threw down his headset. Dusty did the same, followed by Sammy and AJ. He tore out of the studio and chased after Marlo, who had already turned and ran out of there.

Tobias called her name, but she wouldn't stop. She kept running, and he finally stopped chasing her. He turned to Pete and Donovan. "She was way out of line. I want nothing to do with her or this radio station until she gets fired. Got it!?" He yelled at them and took off for the hotel.

*****

Marlo laid on the bed in her hotel room, in the one that she was sharing with Tobias, and cried. She had never been so hurt by something that someone had said, and it wasn't because it hurt her personally, but because it hurt Tobias. She never wanted to be the cause of something like that again.

When the door opened a few minutes later, she didn't even look up. He back was to the door, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that it was Tobias. She felt the bed shift behind her, and then felt his arms around her. He rolled her onto her back so that he could look at her.

"Baby, please don't cry. I am so sorry for all the things she said." He told her.

"Why are you sorry? It's all my fault. You're going to be ruined, all because of me." She sobbed harder.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, confused.

"I'm going to be your downfall. People are going to be pissed at you because we're together. I don't want that to happen. I don't want to be the reason that you get shit from all the reporters and media. I don't want to be the reason that they all hurt you." She cried.

Tobias sighed and pulled her into his embrace. "Marlo, they are just jealous. No matter what, people are always going to be jealous, whether I'm with you or not. It's human nature. Besides, I could care less what they say about me. If they hurt you, they'll have to deal with me. You're all that matters, not them or what they think of me."

"You say that now, but what will happen after months of bad press because you have a girlfriend?" Marlo asked.

"I'll still feel the same. I really don't care what the press thinks. All I want to do is make music, and if I can do that with you by my side, then my life will be great." He wiped her tears from her face. "Now, tell me. Do you think you can handle being the girlfriend of the infamous Tobias Flynn?"

Marlo laughed as he puffed his chest up. "I think I can try." She sighed. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry about." And with that, he took her lips in a scorching kiss.

Chapter 22

"Come on, let's get some lunch before we have to head to the MTV studios." Tobias told Marlo, dragging her out of bed by her hand.

"I don't think I want to go to your MTV appearance. In fact, maybe I should skip the rest of your appearances after what happened this morning." She told him skeptically.

Tobias scowled at her. "Don't let what that bitch said get to you. Not every interview is going to be like that. She was just out to get something for herself, personal satisfaction. Like I said, she was jealous, plain and simple." He kissed her lips softly in some sort of reassurance. "Besides, this VJ is cool at MTV. She's new, and won some sort of contest. I like her because she's more of a rocker than a boy band fanatic, so she'll be on our side."

"I just don't want to ruin…" Marlo started to say, but was stopped short when Tobias put his hand over her mouth.

"Not another word. You won't ruin anything, unless you don't come. Then I'll feel bad. I want you there with me because it's always so much better when you're by my side." He pleaded.

Marlo sighed. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm taking off at the first sign of trouble."

Tobias smiled. "And I'll be right behind you." He led her out of the room, towards the elevators. "Now, let's get some lunch."

*****

Down in the restaurant, the rest of the band was already sitting around a table, waiting to order. There were still two seats empty at their table, but were filled quickly when Marlo and Tobias showed up.

The waitress came over and took their order, not even paying attention to who she was waiting on. The guys were thankful that they weren't noticed, it was becoming more and more of a problem to them lately. It was at the point where they were going to have to beef up their security.

Marlo left the table to fill her plate at the salad bar, leaving the guys alone at the table.

"Man, we were almost screwed for MTV. Because of this morning, Marlo wasn't ever going to go to an appearance again." Tobias breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully you worked your charm on her then." Sammy laughed. "She has to be there, even if we have to drag her there."

"No kidding!" Tobias exclaimed, then the whole table shut up as Marlo walked back up to them with her plate full.

She looked around the table suspiciously, as she carefully sat down since she was a little sore still from the previous night's activities. She glared at Tobias. "You told them, didn't you? Can't anything stay private with us? Did you tell them how many times we did it too, or where we did it?"

Everyone's eyes widened. Tobias's face turned red, but not from embarrassment, but from anger. "I didn't tell them anything, but you just did. Thanks for having a little faith in me!"

Marlo blanched as she looked around the table. Tobias was angry, Sammy and AJ couldn't wait to tease her, and her brother looked like he was going to be sick. She felt the same way as Dusty. She buried her head in her hands, not wanting to look at anyone anymore. "I'm so sorry." She said, her voice muffled through her hands.

Tobias shook his head and sighed. She was having a really rough day, definitely not something he wanted for her after what a great night they had the night before. He rubbed her back comfortingly and told her that it was alright.

She looked at him between her fingers and saw that he had a smile forming in his face, so she took her hands away from her face. "I'm sorry, but you guys got really quiet when I came back to the table. I just assumed that was what you were talking about."

"It wasn't, but they would have found out sooner or later anyway." He smirked. "You were kind of loud." He joked.

Marlo smacked him on the arm, her face turning beet red. "Keep it up and you won't get any for so long that you'll forget just how loud I was!" She teased.

"Ouch!" Sammy laughed. "I'd shut up if I were you. I'd want all of Marlo I could get!" Tobias on one side of him, smacked him on the back of the head. Dusty on the other side, elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't forget this is my little sister we're all talking about! Please! I really don't want to know." He whined. Then he looked at Tobias and his eyes furrowed. "You better not hurt her, and I don't want to be an uncle any time soon!"

Tobias was about to make a crack about how he couldn't help how big he was, he'd hurt anyone, but when he saw the seriousness in her brother's eyes, he skipped the comment and nodded his head.

Everyone was pretty well silent after that, as the food came and they were all starving. Once they started talking again, no one brought up the interview from earlier that morning, or the one that they had to leave for right after lunch.

Soon enough, Pete and Donovan found the group in the restaurant and hurried them along so they wouldn't be late for their MTV appearance. Marlo was upset that she didn't have time to redo her makeup, but the guys all made sure that she knew there was a makeup room there where she would have free reign to use whatever she wanted. Knowing that those stylists used expensive products, she was satisfied.

*****

The guys sat around the greenroom, one at a time getting their hair and makeup perfected, waiting for the show to be ready for them. About fifteen minutes before they were scheduled to go on, the MTV VJ knocked on their door and stuck her head in.

"Hi guys, I hope you don't mind me intruding, I just wanted to introduce myself before we met out there. My name is Janis, and as you can probably tell, I'm new here, and I'm a big supporter of your band." She said, a little nervously.

Dusty was the first to stand up and shake her hand. "Hey, I'm Dusty." He held her hand for a few seconds longer than needed as their eyes met. Once her eyes shyly lowered to the ground, he dropped her hand.

AJ and Sammy were next, both very carefree and casual. Finally she made her way to where Marlo and Tobias were. "I'm Tobias and this is my girlfriend Marlo." He said, shaking her hand, then indicating the girl that he had his left arm around, sitting next to him.

Janis shook Marlo's hand, then sat next to her on the couch. "Listen, I want both of you to know that I heard what happened this morning on that radio show, and I was completely disgusted with it. You have no reason to worry, nothing like that would ever happen here. You have my word."

Marlo nodded in appreciation. "Thanks. I think I like you already." Both Marlo and Janis laughed.

"Good, because I hope to see you and the group around a lot." She stood back up. "Well, I better go and finish getting ready for the show. I can't wait to hear you guys perform your new single!" With a quick wave goodbye, and a wink at Dusty, she left the room.

"What did you guys end up deciding your first single would be?" Marlo asked.

"Hey man, Janis wants you!" Tobias teased Dusty, hoping to swing the conversation away from their single they would be performing.

"What? No way. She was just being polite." Dusty blushed.

"Oh my god! You want her too!" Marlo yelled when she saw the look on her brother's face. "Dude, you have to go for it. She's awesome!" Her face wasn't able to hide the excitement that she felt at seeing her brother crushing on someone other than Carly.

"Yeah man, ask her out!" AJ chimed in.

"Hold on guys, we know nothing about her." Dusty tried to reason with them.

"Well, you never know until you try. Invite her to go out with us tonight, and we'll all go so that it won't look like a date thing. That way you can get to know her better." Marlo told him.

Dusty nodded his head as he thought about it. It did sound like a good idea. "Maybe."

Nothing more was said about it as the producer came and knocked on the door, telling Pleasure Pointe that they were on.

Tobias held onto Marlo's hand and talked to her about plans they could make for that night to get Dusty and Janis together. Marlo was so lost in the conversation that she hadn't realized that she was standing in front of the audience with the rest of the group and Janis.

Marlo didn't know what to do. She couldn't just walk away since they were on camera, but she couldn't really stay there either, since they were on camera. This was the band's appearance, and she didn't want to seem like the fifth wheel by being there.

Knowing that Marlo was struggling with whether she should stay or leave, Tobias tightened his grip on her hand and gave her a reassuring look.

Janis asked the guys all the questions on her card, sure to stay away from anything too personal. Most of the questions were about the band, how they met, how long they had been together, when they were going to tour again, etc. Marlo was grateful that she kept her word and stayed away from the personal lives of the band members.

"Okay, when we come back, Pleasure Pointe will be performing their new single, soon to be released, here in the studio live. Be sure to stick around. But before that, check out this video from Coldplay." As soon as the camera went out, Janis wished them luck, and the guys went to the area of the studio where their instruments were set up. Tobias led Marlo over there as she began to protest.

"Tobias, I know you want me here for moral support, but this is crazy. I'm not going to stand here the whole time you guys are playing. I'll just be over in that hallway, where Donovan and Pete are." She told him.

"No, you'll be here with us, and you will stand here the whole time." He said, picking up a guitar and putting the strap over her shoulder. "Dusty already tuned this for you. Here's your mic, you'll be leading on guitar and Dusty will back you up." He kissed her softly. "Don't be nervous, you'll be great. Do it just how we recorded it." He told her, smirking at the look of utter confusion written on her face.

Dusty laughed at her as he went over to check her guitar out. "Get used to performing it, sis. It's our new single, and you'll be on stage performing it with us at every show." He winked at her, but didn't get a response from Marlo as the cameras cut back in, with Janis announcing them.

Sammy led a count with his drum sticks, letting them all know when to start. As if on automatic pilot, Marlo came in right when she was supposed to. Tobias sang the first verse of the song, his gravelly voice setting Marlo at ease. If she closed her eyes, it was just the two of them there. When he finished his last note, he gave Marlo a small, almost imperceptible nod, along with his patented smirk.

Marlo started the second verse, her voice soft, feeling the nerves. But as the song called for, her voice got stronger and stronger as she went, giving off a husky, sexy sound.

Tobias and Marlo sang the chorus together, the other guys blending in with background vocals when needed. The last verse was a mixture of Marlo and Tobias, battling line for line in the song. As the last note ended, the studio erupted into a thunderous applause.

Dusty looked over at his sister with pure admiration. She had been thrown into such a nerve-wracking situation without any warning or preparation, and she killed. He had never heard her perform this song live, only the recorded version, but it was so much better in person. He wanted to go over their song list to see which other songs they could add her to. She had blown him away.

Tobias walked over to Marlo, seeing her freeze when the song ended and she realized they were still in a room full of people. He helped her remove her guitar, then picked her up in a big hug as the camera cut to commercial. Once he put her down, she saw the pride shining in his eyes, and it really hit her deep. From that moment on, she would never doubt Tobias or his feelings for her.