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

“You think a couple of faggots are going to keep you away from me, you bitch?” he spat at Hype, and then he staggered directly toward Jake. “Hey, asshole, I owe you one!” He lifted his thick arms with his sausage fingers curled into fists and swung at Jake’s face.


He telegraphed the move so much that Gabe was sure Jake would’ve just dodged completely out of the way, but instead Jake turned to the side so Biker barely missed and then drove his fist into Biker’s stomach. Then, when Biker grunted and bent over from the pain, Jake followed the first hit with a vicious punch to Biker’s already bruised cheek.


Hype made a noise that fell somewhere between a gasp and a shriek, and Biker grunted again and stumbled backwards. Jake went after him like a stalking animal.


Chapter 92