"They told me it was fine if you didn't want to do it. They wanted me to seduce you in front of them, and they wanted toparticipate. Avery said everybody in Gamma Sigma Phi had to pass a test, and that was mine."
I stare at her.
She scoffs. "I didn't even care about the sorority. I just… Well, I wanted to fuck you, but I wanted you to fuck me." She stares at me, and tension builds between us.
The ticking of the clock in the room sounds louder, and I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
She scoots closer and puts her hand back on my thigh. I glance at it, and tingles explode down my spine.
"Are you not attracted to women at all? I mean, you've not been with anyone since our night together?" she questions.
My face fills with heat, and all the things I've done to get my hit when I was looking for the high that only Dax gives me hurts harder this time. I close my eyes, slowly shaking my head. "Lilly, if I told you the things I've done over the last ten years..." My voice trembles, and I stop.
She moves her hand from my leg to my shoulder, but it's more in a friendly way. "Ivy, what have you done that you're so ashamed of?"
I meet her eye. "I'm a sex addict. I've fucked way too many people I shouldn't have fucked. I've been in more orgies than I can recall, and every one of them leaves me empty. It leaves me wanting what I've only had with Dax and will never have again," I admit, my eyes filling with tears.
And I'm so tired of crying. I wish I could stop crying, but I can't control it.
A tear falls down my cheek, and I swipe at it. Sympathy fills Lilly's expression. She tugs me into her and puts her other hand over my head, pulling me to her chest. "Ivy, it's okay. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"There is. I can't control my urges. Like right now...when you put your hand on my thigh, it... I shouldn't even say this becauseit wouldn't take a lot for you to convince me to fuck you right now," I admit.
Lilly strokes my head. "Oh, Ivy, don't tell me that."
I pull away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."
She arches her eyebrows. "No, what I meant was don't tell me that you'd fuck me. You know I'd love to fuck you again. Don't torture me." She smirks.
I sit there frozen for a minute and then I giggle. "Lilly, you've always been funny."
She shrugs. "Well, it's the truth. Don't tell a sex addict who embraces her addiction that you're a sex addict too."
"You're not a sex addict," I state.
She grunts. "Of course I am. I always have been."
"Because they drugged you too?"
"No, they didn't drug me. Even when I asked Bobby last night if he did, I knew he didn't."
"How? Have you taken the TimeMarker test? To be sure?"
She shakes her head. "I've been a sex addict since I was thirteen and lost my virginity after seducing my father's right-hand man."
My eyes widen.
"Well, don't be judgy," she says, taking another sip of champagne.
I laugh. "I didn't mean to be. I'm sorry."
She wags her finger at me, scolding, "Yeah, sex addicts shouldn't judge other sex addicts. Remember, everything's safe when we're in group mode."
My lips twitch. "You go to meetings as well?"
"I've been to a few, but you know what? I finally decided to embrace it. I've always loved having sex. I don't care who I fuck. If I'm attracted to someone, then I'm going to fuck them. If they can get me off, I'm going to fuck them. My daddy hates it. I love it," she says, finishing the rest of her champagne.
I release an emotional, relieved breath. I cautiously ask, "So our friendship was genuine?"