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

Alice narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but then seemed to rethink whatever she was going to say. “Molly,” she said with far more kindness in her voice, “would you mind going back to watch the movie, sweetheart? I’ll come back in a few minutes. But I want to talk to your uncle.”


Molly looked wary, but she nodded. “Okay, Mommy.” she squirmed a little so Jake would let her down. She looked over her shoulder as she went back to the couch, as if to make sure Jake would really be all right without her.


“Let’s go into the kitchen,” Alice said.


Jake was visibly uncomfortable but he gamely followed her.


Gabe stayed where he was, thinking maybe it was time for him to leave, and then feeling angry at himself for how reluctant he was to do that. He carefully pressed the tender skin below his eye, reminding himself he still had a very good reason to go. And he figured Jake’s family could probably use some privacy.


Chapter 119