Toronto, Canada, 2006. A few months after the worst year of the Iraq war. Gabriel Navarro splits his time between his job slinging ink at the Atlantis Ink tattoo parlor, and working on his master’s degree in fine art. Gabe is twenty-two, sure of his beliefs and his artistic integrity, and na?ve enough to think he’ll never have to compromise. And then one night Jake MacLean walks into the shop and changes everything. Jake Maclean is twenty-eight and a veteran American Army pilot. He's been staying with his ex-pat sister in Toronto while he tries to get his life in order. The problem is, he can't. After his disastrous final mission in Iraq, he's overcome with anger and survivor’s guilt, trapped in a losing battle to atone for a failure he’s sure can never be forgiven. Left without hope, he decides to have his memory of the mission tattooed on his back, with the condemning words: God Will Judge Me. He doesn't expect to fall for the tattoo artist. Gabe falls just as quickly and deeply for Jake, though Jake's reluctance to talk about what happened frustrates and worries him. Gabe knows Jake isn't doing well, but accepting Jake’s claims that he's "fine" is far easier than dealing with the frightening truth. But soon it’s horribly clear Jake can’t control his panic attacks or flashes of violence, and he's getting worse. If Gabe can’t help him face his demons, Jake is headed for a crash -- and there’s every chance he’ll take Gabriel down with him.

Black Hawk Tattoo

“Hi,” Jake said casually, forcing a smile in return. He was hoping Alice wouldn’t still be angry with him, or at the very least she’d be willing to let it go in front of her daughter. Alice carried grudges like currency; it was pretty much impossible to know when a fight was over or not.


“Hi,” she said neutrally. “We weren’t expecting you back tonight.”


Molly saw the doll before Jake had to figure out how to reply. “Is that for me?” She snatched up the doll before Jake could confirm it. “Mommy! Jake got me Mulan!”


“I see that,” Alice said, in a voice that gave Jake no idea if that pissed her off or not


“Why did you get me a doll, Uncle Jake?” Molly asked him, busily ripping the box open.


“Love is as love does,” Alice said.


Molly stopped opening the box and looked up at them, eyes wide. “Are you fighting?”


“No, sweetheart,” Alice said on a sigh. “I’m just a little sad, that’s all.” She looked at Jake. “Have you had dinner?”


Chapter 60