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 looked at the phone, then at Gabe and Alice.


Alice cleared her throat. “Do you want me to leave?”


Jake nodded. “Yeah, if that’s okay. This is…”


“Hard,” Alice finished for him. “I understand.” She smiled at him, looking hopeful and anxious at the same time. “I’ll just be in the living room if you need me. I love you.”


“You, too,” Jake murmured as she left. As soon as she was out of the room, he slapped his hand over his eyes. “Oh my God. It’s like she’s dropping me off at kindergarten again. Only way more humiliating.”


“She just cares about you,” Gabe said.


“I guess,” Jake said, but it didn’t look like he was really listening. He was staring at the pamphlet.


“I’m sure you’d like some privacy,” Gabe said. “I should probably get going.”


Chapter 120