Aundrea Singer

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! Are you laughing?” Gabriel sounded pretty mad. “Fine, then. You fucking son of a bitch. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere, asshole.”


There was more thumping on the stairs, louder and faster this time, then the door to the hallway slammed open and then nothing for long enough Jake’s heart felt like a closed fist with wanting Gabriel to come back while also dreading that he would.


Gabriel came downstairs again and then Jake heard the spare keys turning in the locks.


“There!” Gabriel shoved the door open and came in, then shoved it closed again and relocked it. He held up the key chain and jingled it until Jake glanced up to see him looking smug. “See?” He tossed the keys onto the table in the apartment’s kitchen, then leaned against the door with his arms crossed and just stayed there, watching Jake.


Chapter 110