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

“Thanks,” Jake said again. “It’s really good to see you, too. I missed you.”


Gabe nodded. “Me, too.” It was a little scary how much, considering he’d seen Jake every Saturday since his second week at the treatment center.


Jake came a step closer and then one more, until they were finally close enough to touch. Jake put his hand on the back of Gabe’s neck and pulled him into a carefully chaste kiss, then made Gabe duck a little so their foreheads were touching. He left his hand where it was and closed his eyes, inhaling like he was breathing Gabe in.


Gabe gently took Jake’s wrist so he could disentangle himself. “It’s okay,” he said softly when Jake’s eyes snapped open and he jerked his head back, looking chastised. Gabe smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. I just forgot—I have something for you.”


Jake blinked and then beamed at him like a little kid. “Yeah? You got me a present? What is it?”


Chapter 122