Aaron stood tense in the dimly lit room, his back stiff as he faced off with Mike. The room smelled thickly of sandalwood, its sharpness piercing the air, mingling with the faint echo of voices from distant rooms, a haunting reminder of the dangers lurking nearby. Every muscle in Aaron's body was tight with determination, his mind locked on a single goal: getting the children out safely.
"Mike, if you have unfinished business with me, let's handle it right here. Leave the kids out of it," Aaron's voice was steady, but there was a thinly veiled anger behind his words, the type of rage that only surfaced when his family was on the line.
Mike's lips curled into an amused smirk as he leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers together thoughtfully. "Oh, Aaron, always so focused, so unaware. You don't even know the real reason I'm interested in you," he said, his voice mocking, laced with something almost sinister.