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

“Whoops!” Rob said cheerfully. “Where’s the fire? I didn’t expect you so early this morning.”


“Sorry,” Gabe murmured, but he could tell Rob had seen his face because of how Rob went silent and his grin faded to nothing.


“What happened? Are you all right?”


The fact Gabe couldn’t manage to do more than just stand there, probably told Rob everything he needed to know. Gabe felt himself blushing, but the acid heat in his face was from shame instead of embarrassment. Even worse was the traitorous pain in his throat and pricking in his eyes, which meant the second he opened his mouth, he’d probably start bawling.


“Gabe?” Rob dropped his paper onto the chaise lounge and didn’t even look at it when it slid off and unrolled on the floor. “Are you all right?”


Chapter 97