The Neighbour ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY

After an amazing day on the east coast learning more about Artie and his upbringing, we headed home with sore cheeks from all the smiling, and sore shoulders from the sun. It got hotter than we thought it would today, which took us by surprise, though the sea was lovely on our hot skin.

"You looked hot in that bikini." Artie whispers flirtatiously as we enter the lift. He leans over me and corners me against the lift wall, smirking.

"I did?"

"You did." He nods, leaning down whilst lifting my chin and kissing my lips.

I moan against his touch as his free hand grips my waist.

He pulls away, leaning over to the buttons and pressing our floor, then looks back down at me. "You're back at work tomorrow, right?"

"I am." I nod softly. I wish I wasn't.

"Okay. I'll leave you be for tonight then." He says, attempting to move back.

"Oh no, you won't." I grab his shirt collar and pull him forward, planting his lips on mine.

The lift dings, signalling we have arrived at our floor and the doors open. Artie takes my hand and pulls me from the metal cage. "Let's get inside my flat then?"

"Why yours and not mine?"

"Erm, air conditioning unit?" He responds like it's obvious.

I chuckle. "Fair enough." I say as I lean into him.

We turn the corner of the corridor and I suddenly stop still, pulling Artie to a stop too. In front of me is three faces I didn't really want to see right now.

Eddie and my parents.

I grip Artie's hand tightly for support, but also silently pray he doesn't curse Eddie out in front of my parents. Not right now.

"Mum. Dad." I gulp, not even addressing my ex.

"So Edward was telling the truth about your new... companion." Mum states poisonously whilst her eyes move to Artie, roaming her witchy stare over his tattoos, beard and messy hair.

I release a breath harshly through my nostrils, and clear my throat. "This is my boyfriend, Artie."

I cringe as I realise we haven't really discussed the whole "boyfriend-girlfriend" thing yet and here I am introducing him as mine. He did say he was falling in love with me however, so I guess I'm off the hook.

"Artie?" Mum spits.

"Arthur, but, erm, everyone calls me Artie." Artie tries his best, stepping forward and holding his hand out to shake hers.

My Dad reaches for his hand and my mum slaps it away before they touch. "Don't shake his hand." She demands bitterly. "Edward's told us about the things them hands have done."

I can feel that this a conversation that Artie and I not only don't want, but aren't prepared or ready for. I feel protective of him and make sure I'm covering him with my body. He places a hand on my lower back and rubs his thumb over my skin. It calms me. I take a deep breath. "I-I think you should leave."

"I think I should call the police! Illegal fighting?"

"He doesn't do it anymore!" I'm quick to jump to his defence. "He-He's had a hard upbringing Mum. Just trust me when I tell you he is a good man. I beg you."

"Good man?" Eddie laughs, which infuriates me.

"Oh, piss off, will you Eddie? Like you know what a good man is. You never treated me well and it had to take me to leave you and find somebody else to realise that," I say whilst pointing at him, "and you can't accept that I want you out of my life, so you get my bloody parents involved?" My voice starts to raise, and I move my pointed finger to my kin.