Scars and Sanctuaries

When a dying tattoo master's final wish forces together a gentle kindergarten teacher and Tokyo's most feared yakuza enforcer, the ancient art of tebori becomes a bridge between two impossible worlds.

Riku Hayashi chose teaching over the family legacy of traditional tattoo artistry, building a quiet life of finger paints and butterfly lessons far from the yakuza clients who frequented his grandfather's studio. But when Master Hayashi begs him to complete an unfinished phoenix on the back of a dangerous man, Riku can't refuse his grandfather's dying wish.

Shin Tanaka, the Yamamoto-kai's enforcer known as the Devil Dog, has spent years as a living weapon—until gentle hands and children's songs hummed over sacred ink begin to crack his carefully constructed armor. As Riku's steady artist's touch transforms scars into feathers, both men discover that beauty and violence aren't opposites but partners in an ancient dance.

When a rival clan targets Riku and his kindergarten students, Shin must confront what he's willing to fight for—and who he's willing to become. As the phoenix nears completion, both men must choose: remain in their separate worlds, or risk everything for a love that shouldn't exist but refuses to be denied.

Scars and Sanctuaries is a story of transformation, where traditional Japanese tattoo art becomes a metaphor for two damaged souls creating something beautiful from their broken pieces. The third book in the Ink and Honor series, it can be read as a standalone.