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

Jake appeared in the doorway, fluffy-haired and blinking like a tired mole. He had on the blue Atlantis Ink T-shirt Gabe had given him over a pair of pajama pants. The fact Jake had put on more socially acceptable clothing made Gabe remember what he was wearing. Or not wearing. He felt embarrassed all over again.


“What’re you guys doing up here?” Jake asked sleepily and then apparently realized all at once Gabe and his sister were in the same room and the nighttime softness of his expression was replaced with wary alarm. Gabe didn’t miss how he carefully turned his hand so the damaged knuckles were hidden behind the doorframe. “Uh…”


“Your boyfriend wandered upstairs while you were still asleep,” Alice said with obvious enjoyment. “We were talking.”


“Oh.” Jake rubbed the skin next to his eye, as if trying to wake himself up. “Um, what about?”


“Gabe told me how you met,” Alice said.


Chapter 79