Derek Matthew Kane grew up in the slums. His father ditched him when he was just a boy. Leaving his mother, Hailey May Kane, and his older brother, Cole Alexander Kane, all alone. His mother struggled to keep them afloat working multiple shifts and often leaving the boys to fend for themselves. Derek never resented his mother for her actions, knowing she was doing her best for them. She dated off and on most men not staying once they found she had two children already. One man did end up sticking around after he found out about them. He was friendly and very helpful for a few months. When Hailey found she was pregnant again however the man tucked tail and fled leaving them alone again. Cole, Unlike his brother, had grown to resent his mother. He blamed her for his father leaving, and resented her for bringing other men into the house. Where Derek focused on those close to him and grew a passion for writing, his brother became very volatile, mixing with the wrong crowds and getting heavily into drugs. When they found out their mother was pregnant again they had very different reactions.Cole lost his cool, High and angry he pushed her down two flights of stairs putting her in the hospital and causing her to lose the baby. Cole was arrested for attempted manslaughter and possession with intent to sell. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, something in the 12 year old Derek broke as he sat by his mothers hospital bed watching his small family dwindle even smaller. Pledging to never end up like his brother Derek does everything he can to not only help his mother, but to keep himself busy. Joining a local gym was one way he managed to keep himself busy along with throwing most of his remaining downtime into his words be it writing or reading. He also worked around the city, picking up odd jobs as he could, putting himself out around the city. By the age of 18 he had made some rather influential connections that suggested he work for himself. They gave him a push in the direction of a decent publisher that agreed to help him put out a series. He started his business in New York City, His first book was so well received they threw a gala in his honor. His first publication at 22. Cole had found his way into Derek’s life again that same month, begging and scrounging for help. He told him he could help with other connections around the city, that he knew people that Derek hadn’t met yet, and Derek, wanting to believe his brother had changed, allowed him to help. He found out three hours into the party that Cole had been giving him the run around and was using his scene to score and set up new connections for his drug abuse. Finding his elder brother tweaked out of his mind he grabbed him by the arm and began escorting him from the party. Almost as soon as they stepped outside Cole collapsed to the pavement sputtering and turning blue, the last coherent thing he managed was to shove a small pendent into Derek's hand before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Derek called 911 as quickly as possible but Cole was dead before they got there, over dosed on Heroine. Derek stepped out of the limelight for a few months until a chance encounter brought a blast from his past back into his life. Recognizing each other from high school they decided to stop and catch up. She persuaded him to get back into his writing and even offered to help him with the plots and filler, for a cut of course. Everything seemed up from there and his career took off like a shot, blossoming like wildfire through the heart of the city and soon spreading across the country. Keeping in touch with his original gym he still participated in bouts, even going so far as to toy around in the rookie division. He had started participating in organized fights from a young age. Starting with boxing and branching into MMA fights. And it quickly became a passion of his, giving him a way to vent and expel frustration that was helpful to many aspects of his life. He never pushed into the upper categories, content with it being more of a hobby and holding a few fights every month or two. It was partially due to the friends he made in the ring that he fell in love with tattoos and the art involved. He quickly became covered in them over the years loving each and every drop of ink that would painstakingly poured into his skin. In the present he is very sheltered about his upbringing as it was from a very low income household, though you wouldn’t be able to tell it now. It’s not that hes embarrassed by it, he is very proud of his mother for what she accomplished and she is proud of him but would rather stay out of the light. He still wears the mysterious pendant in remembrance of his brother. And there are times where it feels as if his anger turns to a hunger he cant explain and the small silver necklace seems to burn heavy and cold on his chest for a moment bringing him back to his senses.
