When they got downstairs, the galley was a mess. Broken glass and food everywhere. Elodie was trying to decide where to start cleaning when Valentino took hold of her arm and pulled her into his embrace.
He held her with a grip that was too tight to be comfortable.
“I’m so glad you’re all right,” he murmured into her ear as he held her.
Elodie held herself stiff in his arms. “Thanks. You too.”
“I was so scared for you,” he went on. “I wanted to come up here and find you, to protect you, but we had no idea where the pirates were. And after hearing they’d shot the other officers, I knew they’d kill me on sight.”
Elodie wanted to roll her eyes. It wasn’t just him they would’ve killed. He’d always thought himself above the other employees on the ship. He rarely spoke to the engineers during meal times, and he’d been the one to suggest different workout times for the officers and the rest of the crew. It was ridiculous, but he seemed to think being an officer made him better than anyone else.
Elodie tried to step away from him, but Valentino tightened his hold.
“I know you need comforting. Just let it happen.”
That was it. Elodie was done.
She pushed as hard as she could and Valentino finally let go of her. “I’m good, thanks,” she told him. She didn’t want to tell him off, as she’d always hated confrontation, but she couldn’t stand in his embrace a second longer.
“I’m here for you,” Valentino told her. “Anything you need, I’m here. Don’t be ashamed to need someone,” he said. “You know what they say, extreme situations often bring people closer, and I feel very close to you right now. I could’ve died along with the others if I’d been up on the bridge.”
Elodie frowned. “Why weren’t you up there?”
“I…well…I wasn’t on duty,” Valentino stammered.
“I don’t think Danny was either, but when the captain came on the loudspeaker, he went straight up to the bridge,” Elodie said. She knew the schedules of most of the men onboard because she needed to know how much food to cook and who would be eating in the dining rooms at various times.
“I was going to go up there,” Valentino said defensively. “But I decided to check on the engineers first instead.”
That was such bullshit. Valentino had never felt the need to make sure anyone was all right. He’d totally gone down to the engine room to hide. Her disgust for the man increased tenfold.
Obviously not sensing her disdain, Valentino stepped into her personal space once again. He lifted a hand and brushed a piece of hair back from her face.
When Scott had done that, Elodie liked it. When Valentino touched her? Not so much.
“I can make you feel alive,” he said suavely. “Give you a way to prove to the universe that you’re still here.”
He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was saying—could he?
“Sex is a great stress reliever,” he went on. “A good orgasm gets the endorphins going, and I guarantee I can make you forget what happened, at least for a little while.”
Elodie took a step backward. Ew. “I can’t believe you’re still hitting on me! Especially now, when your friends are dead and stacked up in a freezer on the other side of this wall! You seriously think I’m gonna jump at the chance to get into bed with you? Not happening, Valentino,” she said firmly.
For just a moment, she saw anger flit across his face. He took a step toward her, and Elodie had no idea what he’d planned on doing—and would never know, as a deep voice sounded from the doorway behind Valentino.
“I wouldn’t get any closer to her. I hear she’s pretty damn good with knives.”
Elodie looked over Valentino’s shoulder and saw Scott standing in the galley doorway. He’d come in through the crew mess and pantry. Now that the lights were on, he seemed even taller and stronger than she’d thought when she’d seen him in the dark.
She drank in his features. He was still dressed all in black, but now she could see his hair was short on the sides and longer on top. She still had an urge to feel his beard, to see if it was soft or scratchy. He was taller than her by at least half a foot, and the sight of him had her wanting to throw herself into his arms. If it had been him who’d embraced her, instead of Valentino, she would’ve gladly snuggled in and let him comfort her. His brown eyes were glaring at the officer, and she could see the muscles in Scott’s arms flexing, even under the black long-sleeve shirt he had on.
This was a man on the verge of pouncing. Like a sleek panther.
Elodie held her breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
Valentino kept his eyes on Scott, which was the smartest thing he’d done since they’d come downstairs. He obviously knew where the threat was…all six feet of him standing in the doorway.
Scott didn’t wait for Valentino to speak, he strode into the room and not so casually put himself between the officer and Elodie. “I’m thinking you’re needed on the bridge,” Scott told him. “They could use all the help they can get up there, and that’s where your duties lie. Not here.”
“I was offering to help,” Valentino muttered.
“Help, yeah, that’s what it sounded like to me,” Scott said sarcastically. “I think Rachel’s got things under control here. It’s her kitchen, after all.”
Valentino opened his mouth to say something. Probably something unwise, but Scott didn’t give him the chance. He leaned into the other man and said in a low, threatening tone, “Leave her alone, Valentino. She said she wasn’t interested. Very clearly, I might add. I heard her as I came through the door all the way back there,” Scott said, indicating the crew mess with his head. “Stop thinking with your dick and start using your brain. You’re an officer. Act like it,” Scott said.
Valentino glared at Scott, then turned and headed for the door that led to the hallway alongside the galley. The one with the freezers and storage rooms. He slammed his hand on the door and left without another word.
Elodie let out a sigh of relief.
“If that asshat pulls that shit again, you need to report him,” Scott told her.
“I will.”
“I mean it. Guys like him have a hard time believing that any woman wouldn’t want to sleep with them. And since it’s obvious he’s got his sights on you, and you’re the only woman onboard, you need to be careful.”
“I will. I think he’s simply feeling off-kilter after everything that’s happened,” Elodie hedged.
“Right. The man who deserted his fellow officers and hid like a coward in the engine room until it was safe to come out,” Scott drawled.
“But didn’t I do the same thing?” Elodie asked. “I hid here in the galley.”
“Not the same thing,” Scott told her, stepping closer.
Interesting that when Valentino crowded her, it made her skin crawl, but when this man did it, Elodie wanted to step closer.
“Let me guess, because I’m a woman?” she asked, doing her best to not embarrass herself by throwing herself at him. She had no idea what it was about this man that did it for her. She’d just met him, for goodness sake. But he’d done what no other man had been able to do for a very long time…make her want to lean on him. To confide in him.