I spin around and see Connor and Murphy grinning at me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask with a grin

"Rescuing you" Connor says with a cheeky grin

I shake my head with a laugh "Thanks, but you should go before you're caught"

"Nope" Murphy says and in the dark, I can see his eyes appraise me "Wow, you really are beautiful"

My face burns. I've been called, hot, sexy, fine, pretty but no one has ever called me beautiful.

"You think?" I ask, feeling a little embarrassed.

Murphy nods "Yeah but…"

"But?" I ask with a tilt of my head

"The dress doesn't seem very you" Connor says.

I stare at them surprised then smile "I'm glad you think so"

They chuckle "You coming?" Connor asks

I look towards the house "I can't, security is tight. They'll catch us if I left now and I don't want you two to get hurt because of me. Enough people have been hurt on my account. I'm sorry"

I turn and walk away "Hey! Wait!" One of them shout after me.

I rush back to the house. I speed through the crowd and make sure my parents see me before heading upstairs. My father's voice stops me.

"Catriona! Where are you going?"

I look at him "I feel sick"

"Then you shouldn't have drank last night" He says

I shake my head "I'm going to throw up."

He's silent and I bound up the stairs and crash into my room. Why? Why are those two here? They should stay away from me if they know what's good for them. I bring nothing but trouble to those who try to help me. I sigh and drop onto my bed.

I hadn't realised I passed out until I heard a whispered row and my window opening. I gasp and sit up as two thumps hit my bedroom floor. My bedroom light is still on and on my white carpeted floor lie two familiar boys who I'm both happy and upset to see.

"What are you two doin'?" I ask in a whisper

Connor stands first and looks at my room with a little surprise and a little distaste "Wow, this is pink"

Murphy staggers to his feet and looks around with the same "Didn't peg ya for the pink and unicorns type"

"I'm not!" I say defensively "It's my father's way of keeping me a child"

I hear footsteps advance towards my room and I panic and rush over to both boys "Under the bed!" I whisper harshly

They crawl under the pink four-poster and I place a pile of books on the floor and as the door opens I pretend to pick them up "What happened?" Father asks looking at me.

I hold up one of the books "My book ends suck"

"Okay, petal, daddy will buy you better ones" Father says patronizingly

I sigh angrily as I put the books on the white desk "Da, I don't want you to buy me better ones. I don't want you to buy me anything period"

I look over and my dad is frowning "Catriona, I do what I do, so you and yer brother can have the life I never had"

I scoff "Don't use me as an excuse. There are plenty of people in this world who give their bairns better lives without resulting to crime"

"What do you want Catriona?" Dad asks harshly

"I want to leave this damn house and lead my own life! Get a job, actually maybe even date!" I tell him firmly

"You don't need a job, you will never need a job and once you marry Kyle you can leave this house" Dad reveals

There is a silence where I try and contain my anger "What did you just say? Marry who now?"

"Kyle, petal, you grew up with him" Dad says

"I know who he is!" I scream loudly. I grab a book from the desk and launch it at him "Who the hell do you think you are? What time do you think we live in? You don't get to marry me off to the highest bidder!" I scream "Get out!" I throw another book at him.

Dad sighs "It's happening, Catriona, deal with it"

"Over my dead body!" I snap, and I mean it.

"Don't be so dramatic. You are staying in this room until you learn to behave yourself" He says calmly and closes the door behind him. I hear it lock and he walks away.

I drop on to my desk chair with a sigh. I forgot Connor and Murphy were even here until they crawl out from under the bed. I look up at them "I'll take you up on that offer now" I'd rather live with two strangers than be within 30 feet of my family.

They both grin "pack a bag" Murphy says

"Okay" I reply and pull my pink suitcase from my cupboard and walk to my walk in wardrobe and open both doors wide. The boys come up behind me and look into my giant wardrobe and one of them let out a low whistle.

"That is a lot of clothes you have there, lass" Connor says stepping into the wardrobe

My eyes widen "Wait" I say but it's too late he finds one of many of the pink monstrosities my mother bought me. Both of them burst out laughing.

"I did not buy that!" I snap "And keep yer voices down!"

The laughter dies down and Connor steps out of the wardrobe "I'll let you pack"

I only grab a few things, because there are only a few things I would actually wear. I bought them. I throw the wardrobe of Denim and Leather into the case.

"This is more like it" Murphy says, picking up a pair of leather trousers I threw in my case. I giggle and move from the wardrobe to my bathroom and grab toiletries and my make-up.

"Lass, ya don't need any make-up" Connor says

I smirk "Why? Can I just use yours?"

Murphy laughs again, so hard in fact he has to grip my bed to avoid falling over.

Connor hits his brother and says "What I meant was yer a beauty with or without it"

I close my suitcase with a little smile "Why thank you Connor."

"Hey, what's this?" Murphy asks pointing to the framed certificate on my wall

"My degree" I say with a shrug, walking over to him and the certificate

Murphy frowns "Why did your father let ya get a degree but not work?"

I smile "It was a way to shut me up and distract me for a while, it worked until I graduated" I take the certificate and put it in my suitcase.

A knock at my door nearly sends me to the roof and I indicate for the boys to get down again and I shove my suitcase under with them. I walk to the door and call "Who is it?"

"Your mother"

I lean against the door "Shouldn't you be at the party?" I ask

I hear her girlish giggle "I worry about you, Catriona"

"Why?" I ask

"You shouldn't defy your father." She says switching to Gaelic

"I will when he's wrong" I reply in Gaelic

"Cameron told me about those men you met last night" She says carefully

I smirk "Oh yeah? What about it?"

"He also told your father" She says, she's warning me.

"Right, and? What do you want me to say?" I ask

"Just that you should stay away from them for their sake" Mum says

My smirk falls from my face "Why? What did dad say?"

"Nothing" She replies and I frown

"At all?" I ask

"Not a thing" she replies

I sigh "Who did he call?"

"I don't know" She replies

"Yes you do, give me a nationality" I snap back

"Russian" she says with a sigh.

"Right, goodnight, mum" I say, returning to English

"Goodnight" I hear her steps retreat and the boys climb out

"I believe my brother blew what went on between us out of proportion" I tell them

"You speak Gaelic?" Connor asks

I smirk "What? You think you Irish are the only ones? We have a version too"

"Let's go" Murphy says with a laugh as he grabs my case.

"I don't know, you guys might be in danger" I say hesitantly "Why would ye risk yer lives fer a girl ye barely know?"

Connor and Murphy look at each other, then to me "Why not?" Murphy says and that takes me by surprise "Ya don't wanna be here so we're offering ya a way out. Take it, Catriona"

He holds out his hand. I take it tightly and we climb out the window.