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

“Great. Thanks. Okay, where are you?”


“Tell me. Where are you?” Gabriel demanded.


“My sister’s house,” Jake ground out between gasps.


“That’s right. And where’s her house?”


“You’re in Toronto,” Gabriel repeated. “The crash…the fire, that was months ago. You’re safe here, it can’t hurt you. I want you to repeat it: I’m safe here. What happened can’t hurt me.”


“I’m safe,” Jake whispered. “What happened—” His voice splintered and he started crying like Skites had, howling his grief to the indifferent desert. He turned away, covering his eyes with his hands.


He didn’t flinch this time when Gabriel touched him, inching close enough so he was right next to him. He slid his arm over Jake’s shoulders as best he could with Jake hunched over and held Jake’s arm loosely with his other hand. He didn’t speak, just lent Jake the heat of his body and his presence.


Chapter 116