Mortar's Mission

A gang killed her dogs. Now an infantry Marine will burn their world to ash.Jessie Vaughn built Tail Waggers from nothing—three years saving every penny to serve military families who needed someone they could trust with their dogs during deployments. But when her security cameras caught Coastal Kings members during a shooting, gang leader Prophet decided witnesses don't survive. Terrorized her business. Killed innocent animals. Made her a target marked for elimination.Mortar didn't plan on claiming a woman. The Leatherneck Brotherhood Sergeant at Arms secures the compound with infantry obsession, maintaining defenses that keep his brothers alive—trying to prevent the losses haunting him from eight deployments clearing Fallujah streets. But when he finds Jessie mourning poisoned dogs while gang members promise worse, every protective instinct he's buried roars to life.She's his to defend. Anyone who threatens her dies.Jessie should run from a man who solves problems with overwhelming force. Instead, she fights beside his brotherhood when Prophet's assault teams hit their compound. Proves she's warrior enough to handle his brutal world. Makes him want something beyond security operations for the first time since leaving the Corps.But Prophet escalates. Professional muscle. Coordinated attacks. Ten years of gang power.He's about to learn what happens when you threaten an infantry Marine's woman.Mortar will eliminate every threat with the same brutal efficiency he used leading rifle squads through urban combat. Jessie's not just under his protection—she's his to claim, his to keep, his to defend with bullets and blood until the only thing left standing is their future together.Semper Fi means forever. So does his claiming.