Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"What's up with Murray?" Cliff glanced at the man drowning his sorrows in scotch, quietly sliding closer to York.

When they entered, Murray had been sporting a glower that could kill. The lively buzz of the party had noticeably dimmed.

"Somebody got blocked," Ever the instigator, York couldn't help but add fuel to the fire, reveling in the drama.

Murray's face darkened even more at the words.

Crash! He slammed down his wine glass on the glass table, his frustration palpable as he roughly undid the top buttons of his shirt, a hint of aggression in his movements. "I said, stop mentioning her. Can't you understand what I said?"

York just shrugged, opting to stay silent.

The mood shifted instantly. The singers fell silent, and the chatter around them died down, nobody daring to speak up.

Cliff almost choked on his drink. Roseanne was seriously not messing around, huh?

A bit tipsy, Corley leaned in and whispered to Cliff, "Did Roseanne come back yet?"

Cliff just shook his head and mumbled something noncommittal, not daring to say much.

the hint, guessing Roseanne

another round, and feeling brave, someone suggested, "How about a game of Truth or Dare?" Everyone quickly caught on,

Dare," announced a woman who had just walked

got a

star attraction and no stranger to

stood up, obviously disinterested. "Have fun, you guys. I'm out

faces and a Janie, who had lost out on a lucrative

bar, the driver asked Murray

glasses of brandy, Murray felt

mansion,

Sherwood? What brings you here?" It was ten at night, and the assistant, ready

irritation. Usually, Roseanne would nag him about his irregular schedule around this time, playfully demanding he go to bed early. Despite his protests, he'd usually

coldly, "Wrapping up for

answered humbly, "Yes, Mr. Sherwood. Anything

but felt a pang of hunger and the alcohol stirring uncomfortably in his stomach. He turned pale. "Could you

back within twenty minutes with a beautifully packaged

couldn't hide his displeasure.