He got the tattoo when I turned seventeen and it was the first day I ever thought he might just love me more than anything, more than his own skin. But now, three months from my eighteenth birthday, when I look at my quivering fingerprint on the edge of his jaw, I feel naked, known. If Marcus ended up bloodied on the street, it wouldn't take much to identify him by the traces of me on his body.
-- Kiara (chapter 1)

Importance: Marcus got a tattoo of Kiara's fingerprint on his neck, which is a symbol of his devotion to caring for Kiara after their father died and their mother went to prison. Kiara was touched by the gesture at first, and it made her feel loved. Now, the tattoo inspires darker thoughts in Kiara, as their situation has changed. Marcus refuses to get a job while he pursues his music career, leaving Kiara...