"Who are you?" William Bolton asked again, completely ignoring Chad's questions.

"You answer first!" Chad bit back. Yup, that's what he had resorted to, you-first-no-you-first tactic. And it was the only thing he had in his arsenal.

William Bolton's eyes narrowed in an are-you-kidding-me manner. It made Chad feel silly, but instead of backing down, he crossed his arms defensively.

'Don't freaking cross your arms like a child arguing a losing fight, you dodo!' Jo's voice crept into his mind, whispering harshly. 'You're here to look like a man who can win June back, not a child arguing about who saw the woman first! Uncross your damn arms!'

Chad uncrossed his arms then and shoved his hands in his.

'Not that either!' Jo barked.

Chad pulled his hands out and oddly stood in front of a highly puzzled Professor Bolton.

"Look man, I don't know who you are and why you're here on my doorstep asking about a girl I slept with a few times ages ago, but whatever the fuck it is, get off my lawn. I have a wife and kids here. This is my family—"

And nobody messes with my family—his body language was saying.

Chad nervously took a step back, unable to unstick his tongue from the roof of his dry mouth.

'Not that way!'' Jo continued to guide him. 'Step forward, stand your ground, and tell him you're not leaving until he answers the damn question—unless he'd rather have me there tomorrow morning!'

Chad's heart bloomed at the thought of tiny-Jo heading off against this Harley-riding-polished-looking-six-foot-tall man. He bet there was a whole carpet of ink underneath the clothes.

'Stop thinking about another man without clothes!' Jo couldn't help herself—or rather, the part of Chad that wanted to be like Jo, brave, daring and intimidating—couldn't help himself.

Chad shook his head and stepped forward. That part of him was right, the part that talked in Jo's voice. He wasn't leaving that lawn until he got his answer—or the next day he was definitely bringing reinforcement.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving until you answer me. What did June mean to you? Why would she think you ruined her chance at love? Why would she leave now because of you—what did you do to her?"

The front door opened behind the men then and the two gawked at Mrs Bolton like two deer caught in the headlights.

Mrs Bolton eyed the men, obviously aware she had stepped into something sour. She turned to her husband with a hesitant glance at Chad. "Your mother wants us to pick her up on our way. Apparently, she left her headlights on last night and her car won't start now."

Chad watched Bolton nod in agreement, but stay resolutely mute.

"I'll leave you two to it, then. Let us know when you're ready." The wife disappeared once again the same way she had appeared.

Chad was glad. He definitely hadn't come here intending to wreck a home—a home he didn't think he was heading into. A family man wasn't really what he had expected.

"You cheated on your wife with June?" Chad quietly questioned, his eyes flicking from the door to the man in front of him.

Bolton's jaw clenched and unclenched. His eyes scanned their feet in submission. "What do you want?"

"I want to know if she meant anything to you? Because you're standing between my happily ever after with her and I have to know. Did you love her?"

Mr Bolton's jaw flicked from side to side as the man contemplated the question. Then he pulled Chad urgently off the porch, towards the driveway, away from his family.

"Look, I told her then and I'll say it again to you. I don't love her. Never did. She was just—a temptation I couldn't shake."

A temptation he couldn't shake? Chad didn't like the sound of that. "You're saying she came after you?"

The man didn't answer. He just glanced worriedly towards the house.

"Your wife looks awfully like June," Chad remarked, wanting to see if the choice of sleeping with June was intentional.

The man's jaw clenched again.

A question popped into his mind and Chad asked, "You went after her, didn't you?"

Mr Bolton finally met Chad's eyes, guilt written all over the man's face. "She was beautiful..."

"She is beautiful!" Chad bit back. He eyed the house behind the man. "Does your wife know?"

Please! The man's eyes begged Chad—don't go there.

"But she loved you, didn't she? June."

Mr Bolton swallowed in fear. "She did, I believe."

"So you—" the words stuck in Chad's throat as an image of June smiling at him flickered in his mind. He pushed it away for the moment. She was a distraction, and he had a job to do. "You seduced her."

He watched the man smile briefly. "She practically threw herself at me."

Chad fisted his hand. He had never wanted to clock a man as much as he did this guy in front of him. This overconfident, arrogant ass that had somehow made June fall in love with him. He ignored the jibe and continued. "You seduced a student, made her fall in love with you, and then you broke her heart and let her go? Am I right?"

Bolton shook his head. "She accidentally discovered Laura was my wife at a gala hosted by the university."

Chad's heart clenched painfully. This man before him had been June's first serious love, and he had simply used her. No wonder she had fled Chad's house the moment she thought he, too, had used her for his own gain. Just another girl for his body and his book.

A part of him felt sick. What an idiot he was back then.

"The night her parents died—?" He began, unable to ask the question. What happened that night between the two of you?

Bolton kicked at the grass edge, eyeing his house nervously. "I'm getting late. It's my brother's wedding today. Please. Can you just go?"

"I will. As soon as you tell me what happened that night. Why did you come for her if you had no intention of being with her, or being honest?"

Bolton glared at Chad then. His nose flaring in anger. The man obviously wanted Chad off his lawn and off his street.

Chad stood his ground. He wasn't going anywhere.

"I don't need to tell you she was a firecracker in bed. Only an idiot gives that up easily. Plus, my wife was pregnant at the time—and wouldn't let me touch her."

Chad was doing everything to hold on to his composure—and his fist. Violence wasn't his thing. And there was no way he could take on this guy, but boy, was he tempted.

"I went over to convince her to not tell my wife. She wanted to. She wanted to tell Laura everything and let her decide. Stay or leave me."

Bolton glanced at his wife as she popped her head out and called across the lawn. "I'm going to put the kids in the car or we're gonna be late."

"How did you convince her not to?" Chad asked, staring as the wife disappeared.

"I didn't."

"Then?"

"Nothing. She fought with me and left in a rage, dead-set on knocking on our door the next morning to tell Laura everything. But she never came back."

"Why?"

Bolton laughed dryly. "That's a question for her. I'm just glad she didn't come."

"You never told her you were married?" Chad couldn't help himself.

"It was a bad time for me. Things weren't great between Laura and me—it's not an excuse, I know. But I haven't been with anyone else since her and I'm really trying with my wife. Please. Leave us alone."

"Like you left June alone?"

"Look, I don't know what to say to you. She was a great lay. That's all. I never loved her and I never made promises. Now, if there is nothing else, I have a wedding to attend."

Mr Bolton turned to go.

"One last thing," Chad called after him. "June used to fight her parents to be with you. Did you know that? She used to fight for you, you fuck!"

"Excuse me."

"Yeah, you heard me. Even that night, she fought with her mum over you. A man who had no intention of being with her. How do you sleep at night, next to your wife, pretending you're a decent man? I feel sorry for you, but I feel sorrier for the lady in there trying to get your kids in the car safely while you're out here talking to me about an ex you used and are acting as if I'm in the wrong, coming here, questioning you about it."

Chad advanced on the man. "I hope one day, your wife, Laura, sees you for who you are. A selfish man who doesn't deserve what he has, but is still lucky enough to have them. Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Is that a threat?"

Chad laughed as the double-garage door opened and inside he spied a sexy-looking Harley. Of course, the guy had a Harley. Why had he even doubted that? "Who am I to threaten you? I'm just saying. What goes around, comes around? Just be ready."

Bolton gave him a worried look and turned. "Leave."

"Happily." Chad waved at the wife as she peered at them often, wrangling two kids under five into their child seat while a one-year-old sat propped on her hip.

"Who was that?" He could hear her ask as Bolton reached her shortly.

"Just some guy asking if I've seen his girlfriend?" Bolton's voice carried in the air.

Asshole! Chad thought, turning around to his car. Good thing June woke up to the man and his reality.

'Now what?' His inner voice queried as he walked to his car and slid in.

It was a good question. Chad reached into his glove box and pulled out the letter. He poured over it quickly as he heard the Boltons leave their house in the opposite direction.

There was one last stop to make from the list of people and places he had to visit. After that, he had two choices. Either go back to Echo and beg her to reveal June's whereabouts, or wait until the end of the month and meet June where she said she'd meet him.

Chad sighed. This last place was important and if it had been up to him, he would have gone there with her for the first time. This last place was one that hadn't been on June's original 'go meet these people and they'll tell you how fucked up I am' list. Besides Manish and Bolton—both of whom he had wanted to punch in the face—Chad couldn't quite see what she was referring to. No one was perfect. Just look at my family. My mum is sleeping with my uncle; my dad's with a man younger than me; my sis has a baby and is a freaking awesome mother—who knew, right?—and June was worried about how her history would paint her?

No, his next pit stop was something from his own list.

Chad peeled the car out onto the street towards his new heading. It was time to ask another question, but this time, he knew at least, the answer wouldn't be a no. He was pretty sure of that. After all, he had known one of them already.